A Crazy Little Thing Called Love
by Incomparable-Insanity
Summary: - When a drunken encounter leads to a story about love. And love is never easy, especially when you're a teenager, in high school, and in-like, possibly in-love with another guy. - AU. MultiChaptered. Magnus/Alec.
1. Not Drunk

**Author's Note: **Hello everyone! Here is a multi-chaptered, AU (alternate universe) story! Magnus and Alec, and most of the gang are here, too. Set in High School.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own TMI. Cassie does.

**A Crazy Little Thing Called Love**

**Chapter 1: Not Drunk  
**

Alec was not drunk. Why? It was impossible. He was not the type of teenager to get drunk, no, that was just a big no. Isabelle could get drunk all she wanted, and Jace, too, but he was not some crazy drunk. And if he did take alcohol, then not in huge shots, never to get himself drunk.

And it's never happened.

So it might be pathetic. He was a Senior in High School already, and yet he could not hold his liquor. Izzy could probably beat him to gulping down one bottle of beer, and he would take tentative steps. It's not his fault he was born as the responsible child. Even their adoptive brother, Jace Herondale, was as careless and crazy as Isabelle.

Maybe this was why he didn't like to go with them when they "went out for coffee", as they told their parents.

But here he was, slumped against their table, hair sticking to his face as he shot down another glass. It tasted stronger now, and he realized, with some hidden delight, that Izzy had slapped some vodka down onto the table and he'd been gulping that thing down for the past half hour.

He felt light headed, and he laughed at all of Jace's jokes, even went to punch his brother on his arm, and even tolerated how Isabelle was flirting like hell with half of the guys who approached her.

When Alec downed his – I don't know, more than a dozen, probably. – glass he suddenly saw the world in a different light. The lights that danced across the dim room was strangely in a rainbow color, and then they weren't even colors anymore, they looked light lightning darting from one corner to another. He swore a shadow was waving at him, and then one of the shadows took the form of a headless horse and started to gallop away.

Alec Lightwood never got drunk.

But tonight, he was insanely drunk.

And of course there were only two people to blame: Isabelle and Jace.

They had told him to loosen up, to have some fun – Because school was going to start the next week, and they'd wanted to hit it up and get drunk like hell and just party until dawn.

And Alec, like the complete idiot he was of an older brother (because he just wanted to make sure somebody would be responsible for hauling their asses back home after and laughing at their horrible hangover.) had went with them, and no sooner than ten minutes into the club, Jace had cracked through his shell and then shoved his first drink down.

His siblings were complete bastards.

Alec blinked, and pushed his empty glass away. He was looking at the far corner now, and he could just make out the glittery exterior of something that...Glittered in the dim lighting of this club. He blinked again, and then the figure, knowing his gaze, swept across the room and met his.

A single eyelid dropped to a very glittery wink, and Alec's eyes widened.

Did he just see that?

"Earth to Alec? Alexander!" Isabelle snapped her fingers in front of him, to get his attention. But Alec was already standing up, and he had no idea if he could dance, but he was heading for the dance floor, Isabelle following him.

"Alec, really? So you're dancing-" Insert drunk giggle here. "Now? Wait, I need to find Jace!" Another giggle. "He has to see this. Jace! Get your blonde ass here!" Isabelle screamed to no one in particular, and with her height and her striking and gorgeous features, the crowd parted as she walked around, looking for the Golden Boy (that title was a complete lie. Jace is a total demon, a Dark Demonic Boy, not The Angelic Golden Boy. People needed to stop looking at his looks.)

But really, Alec was no longer hearing Isabelle, couldn't even see her dark hair, or find any sign that Jace was in the room.

Alec was surrounded by people now, and he could feel light touches on his shoulders, and then when he tried to focus, past the blur that was a haze from being drunk, he noticed a blonde girl, just clinging to him and swaying her hips and he wanted to puke. But he held back on the puking and pulled away from her, finding his way out of the dance floor.

He was drunk, but he wasn't that drunk – well, not anymore, anyway. Because even if he was drunk, he still could look beyond the drunken haze to realize that he was certainly not interested in a possible dance-slash-grind kind of activity with a girl, of all people.

Or of all genders.

Given there were only two.

Finding his way to the darkest part, just pass the bar, Alec leaned against the wall. He really didn't see himself with any appeal – or sex appeal. Ugh, who would? Apparently, everyone did. Except for himself, of course. Dark hair, a beautiful mess, and then the perfect blue eyes.

"You are gorgeous without even trying," Somebody purred, and as he opened his eyes, trying to squint with the lack of lighting (everything seemed a mixture of red and blue right now.) and saw a glittery and tall someone just in front of him.

"What?" Alec tried not to slur, and the tall someone reached him, though instead of standing in front of him, the tall stranger leaned against the wall, just beside Alec.

"I saw your reaction on the dance floor." At the mere mention of the dance, and the memory of that blonde – ugh! – Alec pushed himself off the wall and pushed past the double doors not far ahead, before heaving all the contents of his stomach out into the pavement.

When he looked back, he didn't see anyone, just the door swinging close behind him.

Feeling like he was ready to hit his head against the wall, Alec straightened up, wiped his mouth and started towards the door, only to realize that no – He was not going back there. So with a (very drunken text that didn't really make use of the English language, well, not something either his siblings would understand. But they would probably think it was one of his: 'I'm going home, I expect you to follow after a while.' Big brother texts.) text he turned around and rounded the corner of the violet building, past the parking lot and now he found himself on the main street.

Great. Jace had driven them here, and Alec didn't bring a car. And he wasn't sure he could walk back home. So goodbye public transportation, and hello Bus Number 11 – Bus Number 11 being his legs.

Alec was staggering around, trying not to throw up again, and trying to remember just where he really lived.

He remembered he lived in a big house. And...And...And he remembered the voice in the darkness, the glittery wink, and he was faintly aware of how his cheeks were now flushed.

"You are impossibly drunk," It was that voice again, a soft, cat like purr, and Alec spun around. And there, just standing against a street lamp was a tall and dark haired young man, his hair in total spikes, glittering at the tips. His eyes were ringed with eyeliner, and his face shone like silver even without the light from the moon. And his lips were a clear, gloss-like color. He wore skin tight pants and boots, as well as an array of bangles and rings on either hand, all topped with a dress shirt that made him look...Sexy.

Alec blushed at the thought of finding a perfect stranger sexy.

"Wh-What?" He stammered, and his hand gripped a bench to steady himself.

"You can't even stand straight." The stranger tsked, and then he was walking over to Alec, a hand outstretched.

Alec was frozen, not out of fear, but out of shock. The stranger was impossibly tall, now that they were so close – And Alec himself was tall for his age, too. – and he glowed. Well, sort of.

"I was offended." He went on, and Alec blinked, feeling like a total child with this man.

"What?" Alec felt like he was repeating himself over and over again.

"You threw up because I complimented you." He drawled, and he was so close now. Alec had not the thought to move away, just stare up at the beautiful man.

"No I didn't. I'm just..." Alec trailed off, not really knowing what he had been. Drunk? Yes, he was drunk. Turned on? What the hell, that didn't happen, especially not with sparkly strangers.

"You have beautiful eyes. Dark hair and blue eyes. My favourite," The stranger went on, and his thumb brushed Alec's cheek. "I suppose I shouldn't take advantage of you. Underage?" Alec shook his head, and the stranger laughed. "I saw you looking at me earlier,"

And he was so over confident that he actually strolled up to Alec himself? Really? Well, Alec had to admire the confidence, and even if it was overly-confident. Cocky, even.

When those long and flawless fingers brushed the hair out of his eyes, Alec looked into the stranger's own green ones, and then he felt cold lips brush on his forehead, and he just froze, before the stranger pulled back, his fingers running down Alec's jacket.

"Drop me a line," The tall stranger said, pulling away, and Alec felt like he really couldn't walk home anymore – not because of the alcohol, but because of something else.

Alec blinked into the night, and before he could even recover enough of his sanity, a horn honked just behind him. Raising a hand to his eyes, he squinted at the headlights, saw a Ford Explorer, and then heard more honking. A dark head popped out of the window and gestured for him.

"Get in, loser!" Isabelle called, her laugh piercing the night sky.

Jace honked again, and Alec, with a very drunken stagger – and a stagger that was not caused by alcohol but something else, maybe that fleeting kiss on the forehead, maybe that...-made his way to the car, climbing in the back seat just behind Isabelle.

"I am never going out with you two _again_." Alec mumbled, his head hitting the back of the seat, and his eyes closed, the only sound now was Isabelle's laughter, and then Jace trying to shut their sister up, but giving up after the third attempt to just laugh into the night like the insane teenagers they were.

There was a reason Alec never got drunk, and a reason why he was born the responsible one in the family.

* * *

This is gonna be multi-chaptered! Set in High School because I just can't resist. And do you guys know who the 'Impossibly Tall and Glittery Stranger' is? If you don't then I don't even know who you people are. Joke, joke. But if you really, honest to goodness do not know who it is...Then let's just wait till the next chapter.

I enjoyed writing something (somewhat long) like Real or Not, and I thought: "Hey, I should write something long again!" so here is my newest fic-child.

Reviews are appreciated!


	2. Hangover is a Myth

**Chapter 2: Hangover Is A Myth**

He woke with a stabbing pain in his head, and then felt like he was going to hurl. Alec honestly did not know how his siblings – minus the youngest. – could nurse hangovers and still want to go bar hopping the next night. They were crazy, and he wasn't even sure if they were really related.

Those two were complete monsters – beasts, even. Careless, loud, and they didn't even think about where they would pass out, who would haul their sorry asses back home, and then their hangovers! What about their hangovers? It never seemed to get them for most of the day.

Yet, here he was, his head in his hands. True, he never did get drunk. He drank, but only in tiny little sips that wouldn't even be considered as drinking. But he liked it that way, and he regretted how the two had pulled him into downing all of those drinks, regretted it even more now because his head felt like a massive truck was running over it, again and again.

Alec tried to recall what happened last night. A lot of drinking. And then Jace and Isabelle were screaming at him to get in the car. Planting both feet on the cold floor, he tried to get up –very slowly, as to not upset anything in his stomach, or his head, or his everything, really, and headed for the door.

He battled off the oncoming wave of nausea, and just wanted to curl in bed again, only that wasn't what he should be doing. And five minutes after, he was out of the shower, hair curling slightly and sticking to his face, a towel wrapped around his waist.

When he picked up his pants and threw them on the pile of clothes he was planning on washing, Alec sat on the bed. The headache wasn't so bad now that he'd run cold water through it, and his body didn't really ache anymore. Why it would ache, he had no idea. Putting on a shirt and jeans, Alec turned around to grab his jacket from last night.

"Alec? I made breakfast if you're hungry." Isabelle poked her head into his room, and she probably wasn't used to the size – because, technically, Alec's room was probably just half as big as hers. And how everything was just a mixture of black, white and then a few splashes of blue. Yeah, it was definitely not her style – her room was a crazy explosion of not only colours, but clothes, too.

At the mention of food, Alec felt his stomach take a turn and Isabelle's gaze hardened, thinking that it was his reaction to the thought of her cooking being bad.

"I don't think I can eat anything right now without throwing it back up." Alec said, massaging his temples and Isabelle shrugged her shoulders.

"How do you manage it?" Alec mumbled.

Izzy tilted her head to the side. "What?"

"The Hangover."

"It's not so bad. And that's why I made Hangover Soup, beloved brother of mine," Without even waiting for his response this time, Isabelle grabbed hold of Alec's wrist and yanked him out of the room, the two of them speeding past the long and winding hall of the second floor of the Lightwood's mansion in Brooklyn.

"Hangover Soup?" Alec repeated as they took the steps two at a time. Wait, he shouldn't be this excited over something Isabelle was making. But he supposed soup that came from a can and just needed to be heated was okay, too. Who would mess heating soup up? He looked to his sister, her long dark hair in a total mess and in pins, and he remembered how she threw herself in the dance floor, how she would punch guys who made direct advances – not just flirting, but actually touching her – on her, and how she would burn grilled cheese.

He cringed.

"Jace left early in the morning. He said he needed school supplies," Isabelle said as she pushed a bowl of hot soup towards Alec. The table was long and made out of glass, but she sat on the chair next to him.

School supplies? "You believed him?"

"No, I'm not an idiot. But I think he said something about somebody puking his guts out at the back of his car, so I think he's getting that cleaned up." Alec smiled apologetically and Isabelle returned it with a loud laugh. "Now drink your soup."

Bringing a spoon to his mouth, Alec tried not to gulp down too fast. Or should he? Did it get the taste out if he just gulped all of this down? Or would it give him a scorching after taste? He supposed he should just take it normally, and so he scooped a second spoon of soup, and then a third, until the whole bowl was empty, and his headache cleared.

"That was actually okay," He didn't sound sarcastic because Isabelle patted his arm and then smiled, as if proud that she had come up with something good enough to eat – provided that she didn't do anything else but heat it up. But it was a step.

"So I take it the hangover meant you enjoyed yourself last night?" Alec groaned, and Isabelle smirked. "What do you think about joining us again tonight?"

Alec probably blanched, because Isabelle laughed and just shook her head. "Maybe coffee? As in, not the shit we tell mom and dad, but real coffee? I think I need a breather." It was his turn to shrug. He supposed it didn't sound so bad, so yeah, he was good with a cup of coffee with his little sister.

They all needed a breather from last night. Alec especially.

* * *

"It smells bad here," The youngest Lightwood was saying, his fingers pinching his tiny nose. He was seated at the back, trying hard to avoid the pool of puke that Alec had left last night.

"Of course, Max. Puke doesn't smell like cherries and berries," Jace said absentmindedly. He rolled down the windows and Max stuck his head out, the air hitting his face, whipping his hair back.

"But you promise to take me to buy school supplies, right?" Jace nodded, a smile playing at the ends of his mouth.

"After we get the car cleaned up. Unless you think the smell is okay…?" Max shook his head and Jace laughed.

* * *

Alarm shot through Alec as he pulled his hand out of the pocket of his jacket, only to realize that the blank piece of paper wasn't really blank. A phone number was scrawled in the middle, and he closed his eyes, preventing his hands from shaking.

How?

When?

Last night?

Impossible…

But then it wasn't.

He remembered the cool touch of lips to his forehead, those green eyes, that glittery wink.

And he had forgotten it all when he'd woken up. But now that he was done searching his pockets for his phone, he found it. His cheeks were a bit red, and he tried to push down the nervous sound that was starting to rise from his throat.

He didn't even know that man, and what made him think that Alec was…That he _swung_ that way? Just because he was staring at him that one time – and it could have been the influence of alcohol – he thought Alec was swept off his feet? That was screwed up.

Or it was because of the girl.

Alec cringed, the memory of that girl dancing so close to him.

The stranger's words rang through his head, as soft as a cat's purr, and then in a total drawl: _Drop me a line._

Alec was looking at the number now, and then, without even thinking much about it, crumpled it and shook his head.

Last night was a joke, a completely insane joke, one he didn't even laugh at.

He was too busy, anyway, to call somebody who assaulted him (for that was how he saw it) and then pretend that he was interested. The thought of that kiss to his forehead made his head ache, and he shook all thought of that away. It didn't matter anymore.

He wouldn't call, because that was just crazy. Because he certainly was not interested. And besides, he had a coffee-date with his sister, and he'd be more inclined to spend the night listening to his sister talking about her plans when school came in, the boys she met, the boys she turned down, clothes she liked, and how she wanted to make use of her Black Belt by throwing guys who made rude advances on her through the nearest wall or down the roof's building.

Anything but call a perfect stranger and tell him that he was interested and that he thought he was gorgeous and – _No. _No way in Hell was that even happening.

* * *

I don't think I can write in Alec's POV forever. It's really just gonna shift between Alec and Magnus, and then sometimes on Izzy and Jace (and maybe even Clary if I'm feeling generous. K I'm joking.)

So Chapter 3 is coming out tomorrow!

Reviews would be appreciated!


	3. The Hell I Care

**Chapter 3: Hell I Care**

"Hmm…Yes?"

A click.

Shuffling of feet.

"_Hello-"_

A pause.

"_I'm not…I'm not like that."_

"Excuse me?"

"_The other night. At the Pandemonium. You-You slipped me your number."_

"Which one are you?" A teasing note in his voice, amusement now coloring his tone.

There was a sound of aghast, of disbelief, and then of throat clearing.

"_You followed me outside."_

"I don't seem to…Ah, yes. Now I remember. You have beautiful eyes,"

A cough this time, from the other end.

"_I'm not like that."_

"Of course you're not."

"_I'm being serious here-"_

"Yes, is that why you called me? To tell me you weren't interested? Because I certainly don't have your number. You could have left it alone," There was that sound of disbelief again.

"_Never mind." _It sounded strained_. "Goodbye." _

Tsk, what a hasty goodbye.

"I expect you to call again, gorgeous."

And the phone line went dead, Magnus Bane sliding his phone shut, a small smile on his face, a twinkle in his eyes.

* * *

"Who was that?" Max said, looking up at his book, peering through the dark locks and fixing Alec with a wide-eyed stare behind those over-sized glasses of his. He noticed his brother's blush the whole time he talked, and Max, young little Max had thought it was his brother's girlfriend.

Well, Jace had a lot of girlfriends. Different one each week, too. And Izzy had a lot of guys running after her. But in his nine years with his siblings – all three of them – this was the first time he'd noticed Alec's own relationship.

And he wasn't really trying to figure out his siblings relationships. They were far too complicated, and he was far too young, too engrossed in his books. They didn't matter, he didn't care, as long as they didn't forget to take him outside and drive him around on the weekends, as long as they didn't forget and started ignoring him. They never do, of course.

Alec turned to look at Max, and he slipped his phone into his pocket. Max noted with little interest how Alec's fingers were white, as if he was gripping the phone really tight. His hands were also shaking.

"Alec?" Max tried again, and this time, Alec snapped out, finally blinking and seeing Max down on his bedroom floor.

"Max?" Alec ran a shaky hand through his hair, the red in his cheeks subsiding.

"Alec?" Max repeated, and this time, he received a laugh – albeit a shaky one – from his brother.

"That was nothing." Alec shrugged, now the image of calm and collected. What he was born to be. "So Jace wasn't lying when he said he was going to buy some 'supplies'." Alec looked down at the foot of his bed, noticed pencils and notebooks strewn, and as much as he didn't like mess, he loved his little brother more to be really angry at him.

Ruffling Max's hair, the little boy stood up, kicking crayons and a few books out of the way, as well as Alec's shoes and jacket.

"You puked all over." Max frowned, and Alec laughed again, this time, apologizing to the little boy.

"Last time I'll ever go drinking with those two." He mumbled, and Max nodded, agreeing that yes, he shouldn't do it. Because a drunk Alec was not what he was used to – The Alec he knew was calm and relaxed and never panicked, the straight As student, never really drunk or drove too fast, never lived outside the lines. That's the Alec that Max knew.

"Here, let me help you tidy up." Though why Max had thought of spilling everything in _his _room, for god's sake, Alec had no idea. But it was very hard to be angry at Max, so he just bent down and pushed the art materials, books and notebooks and some toys into a paper bag, one that lay by the door.

As Alec headed to the door, Max already leading, the little boy stopped and looked at him.

"I won't tell Izzy and Jace about your girlfriend." Max said, in a very hush shush voice that Alec froze and stared, wide eyed, at Max.

"Girlfriend?" The word tasted bitter. "What girlfriend?"

"The one you were on the phone with." Max's eyes were wide, and he was such a kid then, trying to keep a secret from the other grownups.

"I don't have a girlfriend, Max." Alec tried to laugh it off again, only his laugh was not so much as shaky but more of a cough. "That…That was just someone I had a misunderstanding with."

"So-?"

"Nope, now let's go make a mess in your room." Alec's fingers found Max's shoulder and he started to push the boy gently into the direction of his room – just down the hall, near the staircases. Alec breathed a sigh, and he closed his eyes. He could feel his cheeks flushing again. Max actually thought he had a girlfriend. No, the person on the other end of that call was certainly not a girlfriend. Not even close to a friend. Much less a girl.

* * *

Magnus sat in a very neat desk.

And by 'neat' is should be assumed that his version of neat and tidy was not the same as how everybody else saw it. His 'neat' had papers strewn all over the place, clips and pens and books with a few ripped pages. Glitter seemed to rain down on everything he owned, and even his pen wrote in glittery ink. He pushed some piles of paper away, rolling his eyes as he did so as the woman on the TV tried to walk like a model, failing miserably.

"I can walk better than that." He cocked his head to the side, trying not to sneer at some wanna-be models trying to get it to the Top.

He would know, of course.

Magnus had thrown his phone over on this very table not five minutes ago, and now he was finding it very hard to look for it. He wasn't the tidiest person around – and he lived much like how an artist would. Expressive. Just because he spent a lot of time on his face didn't mean he had to spend an equal amount of time on the mess in his condo. That simply was not how he looked at things.

"Ah, here we go. Chairman Meow, what are you doing underneath that book?" Magnus's finely trimmed brows furrowed as he pushed the yellow book away, and the tiny cat instantly ran to where his finger was, the same hand that held the phone. His tiny tongue darted out to lick at Magnus's knuckles twice, before the undersized cat jumped off and scurried into the kitchen.

Well, Magnus didn't know where that came from. Most of the time, Meow would just tilt his little head to the side as if to say: 'Hey, thanks for not allowing that book to squish me!' and then run off. He was probably hungry. Nah, he can eat a few hours from now.

With his phone in hand, Magnus flounced back onto his black and white couch, stretching his impossibly long legs as he turned to face the TV, the remote in his hand, his phone cradled between his ear and shoulder.

A few minutes later, and Magnus was on his back, nodding, a glittery finger tracing circles and swirls in the air absentmindedly.

"Monday? That's tomorrow." Magnus said, sitting up, his hair – not in its spiky glory, rather, in its down-and-bare glory – flying to his face. "I see. Well, of course I can make it." He sounded insulted; he certainly did not like it when people looked down at what he could do.

"Yes, I'm sure you will make it accommodating." And with that, Magnus had slid his phone down and thrown it on the glass coffee table, the TV now off.

Well, that wasn't very convenient, was it? He was planning on hitting The Pandemonium again. Who knew? He might just run into that gorgeous-without-eve-trying-hot-stuff again. But alas, such gorgeousness could be held off, for he had an appointment tomorrow.

"He called," And Magnus had not expected him to. Though he was slightly intoxicated himself, he was perfectly aware of what was happening – of what he had done. The kiss. Ah, yes, that kiss. It was too irresistible. Too tempting. It wasn't something he could pass off.

Underneath his feet, Chairman Meow started to claw at his silk pants, and Magnus just offered a hand. One that cat gladly took; He climbed – more like clawed – his way on Magnus's palm and Magnus sat him down beside him in the large couch.

Magnus supposed that his condo was rather large. Too big for one person – eve with his cat. But he liked the space. He had too many things.

Playing with Meow's tail, Magnus crossed his legs.

"Guess who's starting school tomorrow?"

Chairman Meow gave off a tiny little wail, as if he understood, and he knew that his master wouldn't be in the house as much anymore.

"I am expecting you to miss me," Magnus murmured, and then his finger twitched, his phone not only ringing, but vibrating so much.

He glanced at the screen, an unregistered number.

* * *

The next chapter would be where they'd meet, I assure you that! And yes, Alec gives in and calls Magnus.


	4. Welcome

**Chapter 4: Welcome**

"Jace, get your ass out of bed!" Isabelle's voice rang throughout the hallway, and Alec, inside his own room, flinched. He heard the footfalls of his sister, the heels digging into the carpet, and knew that she was just about as ready to yank the door to his room open, right after she'd kicked Jace's own down and dragged the sorry boy out, probably after throwing him down the flight of stairs.

Instead of Isabelle, who always liked the first day of classes, it was Max who stuck his head in Alec's room.

"Mom and Dad left for London last night," Alec yawned, reading the question in Max's eyes. Max, all dressed in his cute little uniform of white and blue, his backpack strapped behind his back, stepped into the room.

"Max, your glasses," Max reached a hand to his face, as if to inspect if he really did forget about his glasses and then blinked several times.

"Max! Don't leave this lying around, I could have broken them," Isabelle was now by Alec's door, a sleepy Jace, whose hair was ruffled and looked like he'd thrown on the first articles of clothing he could get his hands on, was standing behind her.

The youngest took the glasses from Isabelle and smiled at her, then grinned at Jace, before finally giving his other brother the same grin.

"We'll drop you off," Isabelle pushed a brown paper bag into Max's hands, and she sighed, running a perfectly manicured finger through her hair.

"It's okay, that's just a burger. You can buy lunch at school, right?" Trust Isabelle to try and take the motherly duties into her hands. Though Maryse never really did much mothering: One, because she and her husband were, most of the time, not home, always in another country for their business. Two, she wasn't very soft. But those moments of gentleness in their mother was just as great, if not, even better than if she spoiled them with kisses and all those sweet things. And three, because there was Hodge (who stood as their driver, well, if the kids would actually let him drive. But they liked to drive on their own. So aside from driving, he also acts as a tutor. This only applies to Max, though.) And Madeleine, the house-keeper.

"Isabelle, you do not give your brother a burger for lunch," Speaking of Madeleine. She was already by the foot of the stairs, having caught up with the four. She took the brown bag from Max and then gave him a blue bag. "Lunch,"

And before Isabelle could take the burger from the woman and then just bring it in for her lunch, Madeleine was already heading to the front door, ushering them all out, as if forgetting that the garage was in the other side of the house.

"Hodge-" Madeleine started, and Jace coughed, a pair of keys twirling in one finger. "Okay, fine. But Maryse's instructions were clear last night: Max gets drove to and from school by Hodge." Max shot his older siblings a glance, disappointed that they couldn't see him off in his first day.

Jace ruffled his hair, and Max huffed. "Tell Hodge we'll pick Max up,"

And before Madeleine could really correct them – That no, Hodge would pick Max up – the three had already started to the garage, Alec waving at Max, who seemed more excited at the prospect of driving home from school with his siblings rather than the actual school.

* * *

Magnus had tried, very hard, to pry Chairman Meow from clinging to his legs, and the wicked thing's claws actually managed to scratch him through the fabric of his pants. Magnus cursed, holding himself back from kicking his leg, in fear of actually hurting Meow.

The war with his own cat had only lasted for a good three minutes before he ran out of the door, but not before he blew an air kiss towards Chairman Meow, who just turned around, his tail held high in the air.

Magnus slipped behind the wheel of his ever Audi A8, the only car he ever really loved. Superficial as that love was. Throwing books and everything else that was in his hands earlier to the backseat, Magnus drove off, his windows rolled down, enjoying the early morning air. Of course it wasn't fresh air. This was New York.

As he turned the radio off, Magnus's fingers drummed idly on the steering wheel. He was stuck in traffic. And the school? Where was it again? Not very far from his place, that was for sure. Because he was certainly not going to be stuck an hour or longer in his car, just to get to school!

And he'd thought he'd already escaped such dreary normalities such as school. But here he was, making his way to The Blessed Angels. He rolled his eyes at the mere mention of the school's name. And yes, he was actually expecting actual saints to walk those halls. And he? What would he be? An out-right, dressed in such loud clothing, attention grabber.

Of course, that was what he wanted.

But what he did not want was school.

* * *

"_No, I am not going back to school." Magnus had ground out; he was close to chucking his phone to the nearest wall. _

"_Magnus Bane," A very controlled voice on the other end of the phone. Magnus tried not to tense. "If you do not comply, then I have no choice but to cut you off."_

_Magnus closed his eyes, tried to think of the time when his father didn't drive him off the edge. Nope, there weren't a lot of times when that didn't happen._

"_I don't want to," He was never much of a brat – granted, he was the only child, and so he didn't know what a brat was and wasn't. So it wasn't his fault he whined sometimes, bitched. That was who he was. And who he was was actually screaming at him to flush the phone down the damn toilet and shut himself in his condo. _

"_So you do not agree?" His father pushed on, eerily calm. Magnus hated the old man._

"_I am an adult –" But that was a moot point._

"_You are twenty two and yet you refuse to work an actual job, refuse to take hold of the business."_

"_Just because you got mother-" And there was viciousness in that one word, in a word that would seem maternal, a word that would touch the hearts of her children. But there was not a warm note in Magnus's voice._

"_I understand." _

_And the phone went dead, Magnus regretting how he hadn't just stepped on the damn thing, or burned the batteries and gotten a new phone, all the while pretending to be dead to his too-big-to-be-associated-to-a-jobless-and-lazy-son father. But he doubted his father would buy it. Maybe he would be happy? No, he wouldn't have a dead son to tarnish his perfectly perfect reputation._

* * *

But wasn't that what Magnus was going to be doing? To put the school in so much hell? Just because he was forced into something he did not like didn't mean he had to enjoy it. The Blessed Angels!

"What the hell is that," He scoffed, glaring at his reflection in the mirror. But seeing how it contorted his features, he stopped, and smoothed his face into a calmer expression. His hair was in their usual spike, a very thin layer of glitter smacked to his face, barely noticeable unless somebody really looked at him, or he was under a very bright light. His lips were glossed, and painted an electric blue. His eyes, though, instead of the usually too-heavy eyeliner, he wore just a thin ring. It made his face even more stunning, striking.

"The Blessed Angels. I can just see them now," Magnus made a sharp turn, and with a sinking heart, realized that he was already finding a parking space in the school's lot. He just zipped by a Ford Explorer, who was now honking like hell behind him because he stole a silly little parking spot.

Gathering the books from the back and tucking a pencil behind his ear, Magnus put a booted foot out, and then closed the door to his car with a bang. Without even glancing back at the driver, he raised one hand, middle finger up as he strolled to the back entrance to the school.

Yeah, The Blessed Angels just met their worst nightmare.

And it wasn't even in the form of a demon, it was in the form of Magnus Bane, who strutted down the halls like he owned the place – and he damn well did! His father was co-founder. Which explained his rotten luck.

* * *

Alec tried to calm a pissed off Jace.

"There are other spaces," Alec said from the front seat. Isabelle was seated behind, pushing her hair back and then pulling it up front again – last finishing touches.

"Yes, well, obviously, because I finally parked." There was not much anger anymore in Jace's voice. And maybe it was because he was out late last night that his mood had suddenly gone sour, though he was affectionate with Max. But as he gunned the car down, slipped the keys into his pocket, he was the image of cool and golden.

"Doesn't matter anymore." Isabelle said, jumping down from the car. She slung her bag on her shoulder and watched as Alec and Jace moved out of the car, following her.

"I still need a schedule," Isabelle muttered, flipping her phone open. Nope, nobody had decided to e-mail her the schedule. She was expecting those head-over-heels for her beauty to have done so, already.

"It's not like we're late." Alec said, pushing through the double doors of the school. From outside, everything was a stunning black, like freshly polished black. But the inside was blinding – it was in pristine white.

The three of them walked down the hall together, occasionally seeing somebody wave at either of them – A few boys had greeted Isabelle, and some other girls gave Jace a coy smile, while others looked at Alec a little bit shyly. The looks ran in the family.

"This is where I leave you guys." Isabelle was reading off her schedule now, a schedule somebody had given to her, stumbling on his feet to catch up. "I have Algebra in ten," She rolled her eyes, before smiling at both her brothers and trotting off.

Isabelle was a Junior, just like Jace, though Jace didn't have the same first class as her. "I have Chemistry. What a great way to start the morning," Alec just gave him an apologetic smile, which Jace replied with a little shrug before he went on his way, and Alec was alone.

A minute later, Alec had his schedule in hand.

First class?

World History.

Not bad, seeing as he was interested in history. He was interested in a lot of subjects, actually, and in school and in learning. And maybe that's why he was feeling a sort of positive feel in him then, because he was finally back in his playing field, he was never good with parties or clubs, he was better with his books.

Sitting himself a little to the back, beside the window which basked his desk in warm sunlight, Alec placed his bag down, allowed it to slide to the floor and then sat down himself, the same time the teacher walked into the room.

There was hushed murmuring, and then the man shot the class a rather sweet look, so sweet yet it carried a venom in it, as if this was the best thing to happen to them, but the worst to happen to him. When he smiled, it was like little diamonds, his teeth. And when he swept the class with a look, Alec finally saw him full-on.

Tall, spiked hair, and clothes that were fit for a model - and maybe he was, but he was in their history class.

"Hello _my darlings_," He said, in an oddly (and scarily) familiar voice. "My name is Magnus Bane, and you are stuck with me for the whole year. Simply delightful,"

* * *

I'm actually pretty excited to write about all the other characters - I'll be including a few (hopefully) unexpected characters, too!

Review, review, review. 'Cause they make me update faster.


	5. The Blessed Angels

**Chapter 5: The Blessed Angels**

Magnus hopped onto the teacher's table, the lone table that sat in the middle of the raised platform, just in front of everyone else. He crossed one leg over the other and watched as the students looked at him, trying not to whisper to their seatmates about the weird appeal of their teacher.

Or maybe they were just repulsed at how he could work blue lipstick, how he looked simply fantastic in his long-sleeved dress shirt, the buttons at the top most popped open, and a black and shiny fabric peeking out in the opening. He tried not to snicker at all the kids, at their suppressed reaction to their new teacher – their new teacher who appeared to hate being here already.

He rubbed his thumb underneath his chin, the cold metal of his many rings just grazing his skin, and he just stared at the class, waiting for them to finally shut all their murmurings and their whispers and continue to the main topic here – Their fabulous and new teacher.

"He looks so young to be a teacher," A girl from his left whispered to the one beside her, and Magnus's head instantly cocked to her direction, the two of them slinking into their chairs.

"I'm great eye-candy," Magnus said, and the front row gave off an unsure chuckle, as if they weren't really confident that if they laughed, they'd earn to be on his good side. But nobody was in Magnus's good side, not if this was a forced occupation.

And yes, he was actually quite young to be a teacher. But he'd graduated quite early – And as crazy as he might portray himself, he was indeed rather smart. And his bastard of a father had taken advantage over that and dumped him to "see" what it was really like to be part of a larger thing in life – And larger things in his life (or in his father's life, really, just his father.) was his expanding business, which mostly covered everything, from schools to firms to hospitals. Magnus just wanted to take a large meteor and hurl it at each of the buildings, one by one, and then live happily ever after by himself.

"History…Tsk. Why do you need to learn history?" He leaned back and then, as if the book was coated with a deadly poison that would seep through his skin and kill him in the next second. He raised it in the air, pinching it with his fingers. "What is important is what is today, not what was." He went on, and really, History, of all things, was a horrible idea. Maybe he should have gotten Literature. Or Chemistry. Maybe that would have worked. But History? He didn't care about History, not one way or the other!

"But I suppose we all need to be grateful," Magnus went on, sarcasm dripping every word. "Because without these great people, we would not have this filth – Oh, I'm sorry, I meant this modernized world. Don't you think so?" A few nodded their heads, while others voiced their agreement. Magnus wasn't really moved by that.

These kids were probably living out to their school's name – The Blessed Angels.

"So somebody tell me the history of this school," A teacher asking a student to take the stage? Yes, Magnus was that kind of teacher. And no, it did not even bother him that he was asking for a history lesson when he was a History teacher himself.

"Nobody?" Magnus's lips were pursed, and he jumped down from the table, pacing the room, the motion like how a cat would walk around the room, its eyes passing over every face, as if waiting for something. Magnus was indeed much like a feline, as much of a feline a human being could be. He just had that kind of appeal, that kind of fluid motion. "Now, sweethearts, don't disappoint Mister Bane so early in the morning,"

A girl raised her hand, but Magnus did not notice, instead, his eyes dropped to the young boy seated by the window, the sun from outside giving his dark hair a certain shine.

"Ah, yes, you. By the window," Magnus's lips turned up into a smile, and it was so disarming that half the class exhaled breaths of agitation and of worry for their own skins. "Yes?"

The boy seemed shocked by this, looking down at his hands, his cheeks coloring a very light pink, before looking back up to the front. "Alexander...Err…Alec Lightwood," He introduced himself, standing up, and as he tried to swallow past the lump in his throat, Magnus found his voice familiar. "And the history of The Blessed Angels…?"

A flash of blue – The boy's eyes. And the smile from Magnus's face was as dazzling as when he'd looked at himself in the mirror, as when he'd smiled down at a dark haired, blue eyed and drunk teenager from the Pandemonium just last week.

"Go on then, Alexander," Magnus purred, and the boy's shoulders stiffened, his blue eyes not really their perfect blue, rather, looking a stormy blue.

When he explained, Magnus backed up to his table, and listened, eyes locked on the boy.

* * *

Jace pushed his way past the door, and then, with a very Jace like smile, nodded towards the teacher. Aldertree looked happy, always the cheerful ray of sunshine in a world of rain. He ushered Jace inside and pointed to an empty station.

He was certainly not a fan of Chemistry. Or anything that would burn his hand off. But maybe it was because the subject was sort of dangerous – the handling of chemicals, all of that – that he secretly liked it. So maybe he was a fan, but more on the dangerous side of Chemistry.

This was just going to be another boring first day of school. Always the same routine. He didn't even get why the teachers liked him. It wasn't like he was awake through all of their classes, but maybe it was just his natural charm and stunning good looks.

And maybe that was just his over-sized ego talking. So no, it probably wasn't that. Okay, so maybe his charm did help him around some (female) teachers, but the fact that he could sleep through their classes and still manage to get either a B or an A was great.

He didn't even know he was tuning everything out, because he started - a very unJace like start, and his head looked up to Aldertree, who was clapping both his hands to get the students' attention. Behind the man he noticed two new students – A petite girl with red hair and freckles, standing beside a taller boy with silvery blonde hair and a charming smile.

"We have two new students!" Aldertree beamed, gesturing at the two. Jace couldn't help but feel a little twinge at his inner strings at seeing the two of them together. Well, they looked like a good couple. But he couldn't, honest to goodness, care much about two new students.

Taking the cue that it was their turn to speak, the two of them looked up, almost in perfect sync.

"I'm Clarissa Fr-" She bit her lower lip, and Jace noticed how the boy's eyes flashed down at her, but as quick as the look was, it was gone, and Jace wasn't even sure if he'd actually seen it or not. "I'm Clarissa Morgenstern. Um, you can call me Clary,"

This time, it was the taller boy's turn, and half the girls eyes in the class were on him, leaning forward in their seats. "Hello," He said calmly, "I'm Jonathan Morgenstern,"

Siblings?

Jace straightened in his chair as Aldertree laughed, a loud laughter that resonated all around the room. He pointed at Jace this time, and Jace tilted his golden head, eyes on the too jovial-to-be-human man. And then the redhead was walking towards him, looking at her hands, and nervousness in her shoulders.

"Jonathan, you may sit here," Jonathan smiled; a very calm smile and he glanced at his sister again, and gave her a very reassuring thumbs up. This got a squeal from the girl behind him, while the guy he was seated to eyed him curiously.

The short girl – Clarissa? Yeah, Clarissa - sat beside him and Jace turned to look at her. She didn't look as shy as she did when she was in front, and instead of looking at her hands again, she looked at him, her gaze hard. Jace noticed she had green eyes.

"I'm Jace," Jace smiled, a smile that girls really would die for, and extended a hand. She looked at it, and then looked away.

That was a first.

Simon Lewis, who was just behind them, snickered.

"So Clarissa, right?" No, Jace Lightwood did not get turned down! Girls easily fell for his good looks and charm. This was not happening. Maybe she was just in shock that somebody like him was talking to her. (And maybe his ego should shut up for a moment.)

"No, she said to call her Clary," Simon, dark haired and band geek Simon (who Jace found utterly annoying) leaned forward from his table and offered a hand for Clary to shake. His smile was warm, and she returned it. "Hi Clary, welcome to TBA. My name's Simon,"

Clary took his hand and shook it once, before dropping it. "Nice to meet you, Simon."

Jace groaned inwardly and rolled his eyes, wanting to kick Simon back to his own station, but now the two of them - Not Jace and Clary, unfortunately. It was Simon and Clary. - were now talking, the small girl giggling as Simon cracked a few jokes here and there, until he finally offered to tour her around the school.

Great, so the geek was scoring and Jace – who was supposedly the biggest scorer in TBA – was not. What a great way to start Junior Year.

* * *

By the time he was finished with a detailed history of The Blessed Angels Academy (TBA for short. Just cut out Academy. TBAA would sound awkward, wouldn't it? At least that's what students said.), his cheeks were flushed a slight red. Not because he had to speak to the whole class – who knew the history as much as he did, but because the teacher's gaze was on him all the time.

It made him feel uncomfortable.

And those eyes really did seem familiar, the tall frame, and the voice. But it was impossible, if Alec had indeed met this man before, then he would remember. Somebody who wore lipstick that color and that tall would be hard to forget.

"Interesting enough. Thank you, Alexander," Bane said, and his voice dropped, as if he was speaking to Alec only, and he felt his whole stomach drop down three flights of stairs. He sat down, his eyes to the window. Everyone didn't even notice his discomfort.

There was a familiarity between him and Magnus Bane. _Mister Bane_, he corrected himself. But by the time the pieces of his puzzle were coming together, the bell had rung, and Magnus had gathered his books.

"It was a pleasure," He said, and although he spoke to the whole class, Alec had a very tingling feeling that he was speaking to him. When he got up to gather his bags, he looked up, and his eyes locked on those green orbs, and then Magnus dropped one glittery eyelid into a wink – a wink that caused a few girls in the front to giggle and bid Magnus a cheerful goodbye, as if, like his earlier dismissal, was meant for the whole class.

But Alec knew better. Trying to fight down the oncoming blush, Alec made his way out, yanking his locker open and feeling like he'd just been dosed by ice cold water, right after he'd been thrown into a hot-ass sauna.

* * *

Okay, so Jonathan (the same Jonathan Morgenstern who pretended to be Sebastian Verlac) has appeared, and yes, he IS a year older than Clary and the same age as Jace, but I thought of just jamming the two of them in the same year. I didn't want Clary to go down a year, while everybody else was in their Junior and Senior Year. And I am excited for Jonathan's character...And to dive further into the siblings history, which I will be doing sometime in the next few chapters.

Thanks for the reviews in my previous chapter! And I'm sorry I'm holding out on the Magnus/Alec interaction, but I'm gonna try and pace this story the same way a relationship would work. And besides, Magnus is a teacher, and as of the moment, Alec is not really sure if Magnus is the same creep who left him that kiss on the forehead that one night, and Magnus isn't even sure, too. But we'll have the unraveling of truths in Chapter 7! (Cause I already have 6 done.)

Reviews would be appreciated! Tell me what you think about Jonathan Morgenstern's appearance in the story?


	6. Zoning Out

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I update too fast. You guys should give me cookies or something.

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own The Mortal Instruments series, because they are owned by Cassanda Clare. I am merely a fangirl who likes to write fanfiction. Nice to meet you.

**Chapter 6: Zoning Out  
**

"Alec?"

"Alec, were you even listening?" Isabelle snapped her fingers, and Alec snapped out of his little state, looking at his sister, her wide, dark eyes locking on him. She had a fork raised in her other hand, the fork piercing a tomato.

"Y-Yeah, I was." Alec nodded, and Isabelle rolled her eyes. She raised the fork to her mouth and looked up as Jace slid into a seat in their round table – see, all the tables in their cafeteria were round. – And although some people crammed into the eight-seater table, people seemed to just pass theirs, looking maybe once, and then away, as if they couldn't handle to be around the Legendary Trio.

Legendary? Alec almost snorted. Of course, there was Jace, Jace who always seemed to get a girl under his arms whenever he walked into a room, and then had another girl crying as he exited the building. Love-slaying Jace. Isabelle was not a total bitch, but she gave off that aura. She had guys drooling after her, following her every step and doing whatever she wanted. It was nothing new to her, but she wasn't one of those girls who gave in easily, who had no back-spine. She actually slammed a Senior during English because he'd ran his finger down her arm. Yep, Isabelle, with her long legs and gorgeous face, was a total goddess, not soft, not even close to soft when unforeseen (ie. Somebody taking their flirting too far for her comfort.) circumstances came her way.

And Alec? He guessed he was the sibling that kept it in the down low, though he does see girls sneaking glances towards him, and blushing whenever he looked down in embarrassment. Girls were more attracted to the bad type – Jace – not to somebody shy like him. He wasn't a complete nerd; He just got straight As and was responsible. Responsible and serious for the other two that lacked it, or better yet, did not even know what those words were.

But if there was one thing the three of them had – Except the exceptional love and adoration as well as fondness for the youngest Lightwood – then it was their good looks. Alec might try to hide behind his hair, try not to sit the straightest in class and even don't care about his clothes, but he was still handsome, attractive, even. No, he was beautiful. Beautiful blue eyes, hair that was naturally messy – he made it work. Jace was the golden boy, as in literally. And Isabelle was their gorgeous sister. Though one tried to downplay his beauty, the other two flaunted it, and even if he didn't try, people still saw Alec as handsome, even if he didn't really like that much attention.

"Alec? Are you zoning out again? God," Isabelle shook her head, pushing her plate away from her as Jace bit into an apple, a curve of a smile on his face.

Alec twitched.

"Sorry, I was just thinking," About History Class a few hours ago. About the wink. It was all so strange.

"And I was just telling you about my first half of the day! Listen! Both of you," Isabelle had this need to relate – most, anyway – her days to her brothers, because her mother wouldn't listen to her, well, would listen and chastise, or would just listen and not care, because she actually wasn't listening that much. But Isabelle liked the times when her mom would listen, pat her arm reassuringly, and wish her a more wholesome day for the next. And this was why she liked to talk to Jace and Alec more when it came to her day.

She never stopped talking if she could help it, you see.

"So there was this new teacher," Isabelle took a sip of grape juice, and Alec finally looked at her. "He's kinda hot," Jace barked a laugh, and girls from behind him turned their heads, and Isabelle shot them away, not wanting the attention on the three of them right now – all she wanted right now was the attention of her brothers. Not added bystanders.

"But he's kinda…Odd," Odd teachers, Alec knew of. "But he's gorgeous! You should see him. He teaches History. Mister Bane." Isabelle smiled fondly, but after Jace tried to push down an upcoming laugh, she shook her head.

"Jesus, Jace. He's not even straight," At that, Alec blinked, his fingers tightening around the soda he held to his mouth. He found it very hard to gulp down the Mountain Dew.

"Mister Bane?" Alec repeated. Well, how could he even forget about the man. He didn't, actually, he was just thinking deeply about the same Mister Bane he had in History that he failed to really pick up on what Isabelle was saying.

"Oh my god, you two weren't listening!" Isabelle tried to sound seriously hurt and disappointed, though she just shrugged and took another sip. "And yes, Mister Bane. He's…Colourful. And he mentioned a bright and promising boy who tried his hardest not to bore him when he asked for TBA's History. And then he asked us to introduce ourselves," Isabelle's gaze was back on Alec, and Alec felt like he needed to go to the bathroom just to avoid that stare.

"He called me 'Alexandra'," Isabelle said dryly and scowled, while Jace laughed loudly.

"Must've noticed the resemblance," Jace said, smirking at Isabelle who glared at him dirtily.

"Good job on the History, and thanks a lot, Alec," Isabelle rolled her eyes.

"What?" Alec managed to get out, he wasn't passed the whole thought of Mister Bane thinking that he was a bright and promising student. What the hell? Just because he tried to give the teacher a non-boring (well, he TRIED) account of TBA's history, didn't mean he was bright and promising. But he was, actually, very bright, and of course he was full of promise! But Alec's just too humble to really take in the praise.

"He thought we were twins," She seethed at the word, and Alec managed to get a feigned hurt to pass through his features.

"He forgot he was in the Juniors class?" Jace snorted, and Isabelle shrugged.

"Alec had History, first period." Jace pointed out again, and Alec nodded. "And Isabelle had him, too." Another nod from the girl. "Now let me make a wild guess about how this Mister Bane looks like," No harm in that, right?

"He's _tall_…And sort of glittery, with spikes. And working those boots. Props for the man for working boots in this hellhole. And no, Izzy, he is most certainly not straight. But he has the attention of most of the girls, attention that should be for me," He frowned, and Isabelle and Alec frowned, too.

"I thought you didn't know him,"

"Jace you're a total egotistical asshole,"

Alec and Isabelle – respectively, please – said at the same time, and Jace just lifted his head, smiling a perfectly disarming and angel's smile. "Speak of the Devil," He mused, picking at his fries.

Alec looked over his shoulder, and just as Jace had described him to be, Mister Bane was there, walking with a feline like grace, a smile hinting in his face. He had that careless sort of way with him, and Alec remembered the wink, and shuddered – something Isabelle thought was because of the cold, thank god.

"Alexander and Alexandra!" Magnus Bane had noticed the three of them – who sat in their own private table – as he passed them, even stopping to raise his eyebrows, a small smile on his face. Alec thought he looked much better when he smiled, compared to the times when he'd frown in class, as if he could be anywhere else and burning in Hell rather than be in this Academy.

"We're not twins!" Isabelle said, trying not to lose her cool. But her face relaxed and she smiled, "I said my name is Isabelle, Mister Bane. Alexander is my older brother," She smiled that winning smile and Magnus nodded. Jace wasn't very sure he would remember her as Isabelle, and he snickered inwardly at the thought of a teacher calling her 'Alexandra' for the whole year.

Alec tried not to stare, and Mister Bane just nodded.

"I see," He pursed his lips, and again, Alec tried not to stare at them for too long. There was something familiar about it, about Magnus Bane as a whole. "I only remember students who give off a striking impression," He smiled a little bit too sweetly at the three of them, and Jace returned the smile.

"Alexander and Isabelle," Alec felt heat rise to his face. Well, if that was the case, then he should be grateful, but Isabelle was already receiving all the praise, smiling at the History Teacher (who really should mind history more, Alec commented in his own thoughts.)

"And then we have The Third Lightwood?" Magnus glanced at Jace, who introduced himself, but Jace was beyond smiling a second time, because he just bit into his apple.

"Try not to choke, children. Eat slowly, remember to chew and then swallow! Not swallow and chew, and yes, sweetheart, I'm talking to you," Magnus had pointed to a few tables behind where the three sat, and he chuckled at what he'd said, before twirling a finger in the air and walking off.

"Why does the air around him _glitter_?" Jace finally said after a few moments of silence, his apple half way eaten. "How is that even possible?"

Alec relaxed in his seat and Isabelle laughed.

"It's not so bad," Alec said, and he was sure he wasn't blushing as hard as when Mister Bane had started talking to them – though he tried to push it down. There was a certain feel towards him. And Alec just couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity out of him.

He certainly would not forget somebody like Magnus Bane.

"I like his glittery ways," Isabelle said. "It takes a real man to glitter,"

* * *

This chapter was necessary, even if nothing even happened here. But I'm only posting this now so that I can avoid delaying this chapter (this chapter doesn't need more than a few day's wait) so yeah. I promise something WILL happen in the next chapter! And I promise explanation about Clary and Jonathan, too, but in further chapters.

The next chapter would be the realization and the first-ever -real- meeting of Alec and Magnus.

Like I said, I'm not gonna rush into this story, so bare with me for a while.

But at least after this Legendary Trio chapter, I'll have a Magnus/Alec chapter after! And I'll be updating on either Thursday or Friday.


	7. Blue Eyes

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **When I say, "I'll update on either Thursday or Friday." I mean: Oh, I posted it today (Tuesday) so I'm gonna post tomorrow again. I suck at a proper update-schedule. I seriously cannot update everyday (it'll be fun, though.)

I swear, next update would either be on Friday or Saturday, but again, I'll be bashing my head against the wall pretty soon because I might just update everyday. I. Suck. At. Schedules.

**Chapter 7: Blue Eyes**

The day hadn't gone so bad. Everything seemed normal, nothing out of the ordinary – except for his first period class. But other than that, he was having a perfectly okay first day. Okay, so maybe it wasn't just his first period that really bothered him – not in the sense that it was bothersome, but in a different Alec-sort of sense. Lunch was kind of odd, too, though there was a sort of relieved realization when Mister Bane didn't forget about him, though he insisted on calling him 'Alexander', which Alec did not really mind. People called him Alexander or Alec, though they usually stuck to 'Alec' after he'd pointed it out.

When the last bell rung, signalling the end of classes, Alec gathered his things and headed for the door, not even glancing back at everybody else or at the teacher. He just wanted to get home, and what seemed like a perfectly normal day became a sort of tiresome day.

Not that they had done anything that would require much energy, because they actually didn't. He just sat in class, had lunch, sat more in class, and now the bell had rung.

Alec pushed his books inside his locker and swiped at his forehead with the back of his hand, before turning around. The hall was filled with students, and just by the end, right before they would turn for the corner, Alec noticed a flash of red being dragged by a taller, silver-haired boy, and then they were gone, and he wasn't even sure if he saw the look of worry on the girl's face or not.

When his phone rang, though, Alec almost jumped, but he was the whole appearance of cool and relaxed – when he could help it – so he just dug his hand into his pocket and flipped his phone open, walking down the hall as he held it to his ear.

"Hello?" Alec said, and winced as he forgot to look at the caller.

"Is this Blue Eyes?" Alec felt his face redden.

"What the hell?"

"Ohh, so it is you. Well, of course it is." The voice at the end of the phone mused, and Alec tried to steer clear of somebody running down the hall, lest he wanted to be in that trampled mess.

"But how did you get my number?" He had to lower his voice, but it wasn't needed, the whole hall was noisy with the chatter and laughter from students.

"You called me first," There was that purr, and Alec turned around, looking for either Jace or Izzy. He tried not to let the purr bother him, because it wasn't really bothering him, there was just a sort of familiarity with it.

"Well, what do you want?" He found himself snapping at the phone, and he realized his voice had been too loud, because people looked at him. He shrugged in a means of apology and just went on his way to the parking lot of the school, expecting the other two to be there already.

"I've had the longest day," The person was still going on, and Alec stopped by the double doors, leaning against the wall. "Can you do me a favour?"

Behind his closed lids, Alec tried not to visualize the stranger, but he couldn't help it. He remembered the long legs, the height, the glitter, and those barely-glossed lips, remembered the warmth in them as that same stranger cupped his cheek and left that light-as-feather kiss on his forehead. He felt heat rise to his face at the thought of it.

When Alec didn't say anything, the stranger went on, anyway, "Where are you?"

At that, Alec's eyes opened, and he must've coughed, because the stranger on the other end made a scoffing sound. "I'm not gonna stalk you, darling," Alec cringed at the word.

"I'm at school," He finally got out.

"Bye," And then the line went dead, and Alec stared at the unregistered number that still lingered on his screen before he shut his phone close, thrusting it inside his jacket pocket.

Well, what the hell was that for?

Feeling like he really should go home and leave the other two behind, Alec pushed past the double doors and stepped out into the parking lot, it was empty of most people.

His phone was ringing again.

"_What?" _Alec hissed into the phone, and there was a chuckle. "You cut the call short-"

"No, I didn't. I said 'bye', I didn't hung up,"

"That's beyond the point. You still cut the call short,"

"Did you want it to last longer?"

"You're calling right now,"

"Touché. But yes, about my favour?" Alec wanted very much to end the call, but he stood rooted on the spot, not saying anything. The stranger took that for a yes and breathed into the phone.

"End this call, and walk over to the right side of the building." Alec stood frozen, not knowing what to do. Not knowing whatever else to do, Alec ended the call, and his fingers slackened on the hold of his cell.

He tried not to look around madly, tried not to feel like somebody was stalking him and secretly lying in wait in the dark just to kill him.

"Why am I even going to do this," Alec muttered to himself, feeling like he really should just go back into the building and call Izzy or Jace up, or ask them for the car keys, because there was no way he'd be walking home.

_Because. _

That's a stupid reason.

_Because it'll get everything done with. And what's the point of it, anyway?_

Nothing. Exactly why I won't be doing it.

_But you still will, because it'll prove that there is no point and that you can just go home after._

Fine.

Alec turned on his heel and headed for the right side, taking slow steps, in hope that whoever had planned this whole joke would get bored and tired and just walk away.

When he rounded the corner that led to the large amount of trees in TBA, Alec hesitated. There was nobody there. He walked further on, standing just underneath a large oak tree.

He looked at his phone, as if knowing that a call would come, and it came, five seconds after. He put it against his ear, feeling the cold wind brush his neck.

There was nobody on the other end, and Alec felt like this was all just a sick joke.

"Izzy? Jace? I swear you guys are going to be dead if I find out it's you two behind this." Alec frowned, but again his phone was ringing, and he didn't even bother with it, instead, he pushed it farther into his pocket and glared at something very invisible, as if Jace would materialize in a fit of laughter because he'd fooled Alec into one of his many pranks.

But Jace did not appear.

Nor did Isabelle.

"Alexander," There was a sigh, and then he could hear footsteps just by his side. He couldn't really see the man properly, but he knew he was there. Knew by the shadow he casted that he was tall. "Pick up your phone,"

Alec's shoulders stiffened and he hated how he felt like this was going to be his death. He stood his ground, though, and didn't take his phone out.

"_Alexander_," This time, the voice was nearer, and Alec felt the compulsion to turn around, and there, standing in his glittery glory was Magnus Bane, holding a phone to his ear.

Alec noticed his phone was still ringing, and the man raised an eyebrow at him.

This was not happening.

"Your cell is ringing," Mister Bane pointed out, and Alec stared in pure disbelief at him.

This could just be a coincidence, right?

As the teacher tilted his head, Alec felt his fingers brush against the cold metal of his phone, and before he even knew it, he was snapping it open, bringing it to his ear.

This wasn't happening.

It was just somebody else, and Mister Bane was probably out to smoke or to get some air, or get ready to leave. Alec noticed the man's finger, how his fingers were adorned by rings, and how his nails shone an electric blue, to match his lips, and then he remembered how the same colored fingers with the same array of rings had given them – Jace – the middle finger, so early in the morning for honking like hell.

_That _was Mister Bane?

He still couldn't believe that it was a teacher who flipped Jace off – although he must not have known, or maybe must not have cared. He didn't even really acknowledge Jace earlier in lunch.

Mister Bane was looking quite amused, and Alec couldn't even find his voice in him anymore, couldn't utter a single hello.

"Hello, may I know who this is?" There was that voice now, but it was strange – Mister Bane was saying the same thing. Alec blinked, dazed.

And it wasn't possible, this was all impossible.

"Mister Ba—" Alec's response was cut off, because the man tsked tsked tsked into the phone.

"So?"

"Alexander," Alec said, his fingers' hold on his cell tightening. He felt his face burn, and he dared a glance at Mister Bane, who had a very faint smile and a knowing look in his eyes.

"I'm Magnus Bane," The stranger – no, this wasn't a stranger – purred, and again, Alec looked up at Mister Bane, whose smile was now quite full on, before the man slid his phone shut and slipped it into his pocket. Alec's fingers lost its hold on his phone, but he caught it before it fell, and trying to lessen the shaking, Alec pocketed his phone.

"So it is indeed you," Magnus – No, _Mister _Bane said, and if Alec could blush any harder, then maybe he should start fainting. But he didn't, instead, he felt the color leave his face, felt coldness again. "Do you remember, Blue Eyes?"

* * *

Before anybody goes: Wait, how does Magnus know it's really Alec?- I'm just gonna say this: It'll be explained in Chapter 9, a very Magnus-centric Chapter. I would know, I've written 8 and Chapter 9 is currently in progress.

Watch me update again tomorrow when the whole plan is to update either every-other-day or every-two-days.

I am seriously expecting tons of cookies or something. Or you can give me glitter, Magnus is running out. LOL, Magnus would never run out of glitter, but he doesn't share, so yeah, hand over your glitter everybody.

Oh, and here's a little (not so fun, but oh well) fact: Alec's blushing is kind of like my blushing-tendencies. So yep, I can totally relate to Alexander and all his blushing.

One more thing: I hope I didn't disappoint anyone -coughKrelseybellecough- with their meeting. But Magnus is sneaky like that.


	8. I Came, I Saw, I Know

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I managed to hold out on updating! So I have a sort of fixed schedule now: Updates would be every other two days, except for Fridays and Saturdays, because I'll be updating F-S-S if I can help it, if not, then F-S. The rest would be every other two days.

**Chapter 8: I Came, I Saw, I Know, I Ran  
**

Magnus was quite amused.

It wasn't like he was particularly sure, but he had his gut feeling, and his gut feeling never got him hurt. It helped him every morning, his gut feeling – that feeling that tells him to run to the door or else Chairman Meow would cling to him until the evening and Magnus wouldn't even have work done.

Not like he liked what he was doing right now – his work and all that, but a cat's claws weren't very comfortable.

Magnus was actually ready to burst out in laughter – first from the call, and then now to where they were. He supposed he was a horrible excuse for a romantic, but it wasn't like there was any romance going on. Not now, especially not now.

But he liked watching the boy, liked how he seemed nervous and unsure around him – liked how he blushed, how he tried to keep his voice down when they talked. And Magnus wasn't even sure if he wanted to stop the games, but then, since when did Magnus Bane play games? He was the game-master, not a player.

He watched Alexander with an easy interest.

"Are you s_talking _me?" Alexander finally got out, his blue eyes wild, not their usual blue, rather, their stormy sort of blue. Magnus didn't like how he was being accused as a stalker. He shrugged his shoulders anyway.

"You followed me into my house? And then to my school?" Alexander went on, and Magnus sighed, leaning his back against the tree.

"Of course I did, Alexander. Right after I left you last week, I secretly followed you home and then located where you'd be going to school so I can stalk you. May I remind you that it was you who called first? I just took advantage of how your number was registered in my call logs, and look where that got us," Alexander tried not to cringe at what Magnus was saying, but Magnus just went on.

"Well, no, darling – "A twitch from the student. "I did not stalk you. My father is co-founder of this school. And I wasn't sure it was you. Who's to tell? It was a dark night, the only hint I had was your eyes, and then your voice. And obviously, you don't even remember me all that well, you were horribly drunk."

"You-You weren't sure?" Alexander said, and he took a few steps back, as if Magnus was poison and he did not want any of that near him.

"No, I was just basing on my gut feeling. It's got me this far. So I believe I _am _right," Magnus smiled now, but it wasn't a very nice smile, it seemed _too_ friendly. "Surely you realized who I was?" Alexander shook his head. "No?"

The student hesitated, before finally giving in. "The glitter was kind of obvious, but I wasn't sure." And unlike Magnus, Alexander had enough self-preservation to just wait out whoever who the stranger was.

But if Magnus had waited it out, then he surely would have never come to this marvellous conclusion, to this finality – to the true identity of Blue Eyes. And he might just call Alexander Blue Eyes. Not in class, though.

"Look at your name on my phone," Magnus pulled his phone out, slid it up and then smiled at Alexander who blinked, drawing closer. Magnus wanted to touch that soft cheek again, and he felt his lips purse. Alexander didn't notice because he was blushing hard again.

"Blue Eyes? _Really_?" Alexander shuddered, and Magnus, with a little laugh, took his phone back and hid it again.

"What, do you prefer: Insanely Gorgeous Stranger With The Perfect B-"

"Shut up! Shut up! _Shut up_! People will hear." Alexander hissed, and Magnus looked taken aback for a moment, before he shrugged.

"I see," Magnus was pacing now, and Alexander tried not to shrink away from his gaze. Magnus very much liked seeing him blush, though.

"Mister Bane," It was Magnus's turn to twitch at the title, but he looked at the boy. "I-I better be going,"

When Magnus didn't say anything, Alexander started to walk away, and right before he would reach the parking lot, Magnus called.

"Alec," He raised a hand, and Alexander – Alec – stopped and turned around.

Magnus made the universal gesture for 'Call Me.', and Alec's face flushed before he started to run, leaving Magnus in the school's poor excuse for trees.

* * *

Alec immediately slammed the door to his room shut, locking it and throwing his bag to the floor, kicking his shoes off and then climbing into his bed, feeling like he couldn't be anywhere near anybody right now.

Max didn't notice anything odd with him, but Isabelle looked like she noticed the furious blush he was trying to hide – and Jace probably noticed how he'd blanch and then turn red within the span of five minutes. But they didn't have enough time to ask him about it, because he'd run to his room the moment they parked.

This was not happening. This was not happening.

It wasn't like he was interested. It was more that somebody knew, straight out – "straight out" being a pun here – of what he was. And maybe it was just shock, that Magnus Bane was the same man that came up to him at the Pandemonium. The same man that touched his face so gently.

"This isn't happening," Holy shit, no it wasn't. He was just dreaming and tomorrow, he'd wake up to the start of the very first day, to a normal history teacher. And he'd call Magnus Bane – err, the stranger – and tell him that he would rather not have called anymore. But that would not be happening, everything was done now – and his first day of school, his reset would not be happening.

He rolled in bed, throwing his arm across his face and just groaned.

So the wink was meant for him, and Magnus was not even trying to hide it. He'd speak it loud to the school if Alec wouldn't throw a table at him just to shut him up. But of course, he was a teacher; he would know how to handle it. Would work like a true professional.

Though Alec, at this moment, was pretty sure that he was more professional than Mister Bane could be.

But that wasn't even the case here.

The case here was that Magnus Bane was…Mister Bane. He was their teacher, and maybe it would be bearable – okay, maybe not so much cringe worthy – if the Tall Stranger was somebody else, somebody who he didn't have to see for most of the week, but it was different. Mister Bane was Mister Bane, his teacher, and after that scene by the trees, Alec felt like everything was dropping, like everything had gone cold, and then had gone extremely warm at the same time, all the while, Magnus Bane had gestured for him to 'Call'.

Was this all really just a joke for him?

Sitting straight in his bed, Alec shook the hair out of his eyes and bit his bottom lip.

No, he shouldn't even be stressing about it.

With a new resolve – to ignore, to pretend like nothing happened, and in hopes that Magnus Bane; Mister Bane would catch up, then everything would just blow over. Nothing would happen that nothing happened. Besides, who would be interested in him?

Alec was a student.

Alec was a guy.

Mister Bane was a teacher.

Mister Bane was a guy.

_And yet you thought he was sexy._

It was dark!

_And you close your eyes to the feel of those lips._

I didn't know!

_You still think about him._

Because it was strange and I was not expecting anything like that to happen.

_So are you pleased? Pleased that you found out?_

…

_After all is said and done. _

Alec didn't even like it when he argued with himself. With a groan, he threw himself back into bed, shutting his eyes, drowning out the insistent knocking, and the sound of cars honking just outside. He closed his eyes, tried to bind the little Alec in his head and throw it into a closet, just so it would stop with all the jibes.

As Alec drifted off to sleep, his fingers twitched, as if ready to grasp his phone, but he would not call – he would forget about everything that happened, and tomorrow, during History, Magnus Bane would be plain Mister Bane, sparkly and glittery History Teacher. Nothing else.

* * *

OKAY.

Who here thinks Alec is gonna call Magnus by the next chapter?

And reviews would be wonderful, they're like a little piece of Heaven.


	9. Teacher

**Chapter 9: Teacher **

_Is he really fit to teach students?_

_He wears more makeup than me! _

_I can't believe it, why is he even here?_

_He – She – It. _

_Shush, he's coming._

A very heavy book came down onto his table, creating the loudest banging within the faculty. The others stiffened, and those who weren't hoping to be on his bad side turned around to look back, concern and worry and maybe even wonder and curiosity in their eyes.

But Magnus only smiled, that oh so sweet smile, and slid into his table, pushing his chair back and lifting his long legs up onto it, crossing his feet by the ankle and pushing at the hand-held mirror, sliding it a little bit and angling it to give him a very good reflection of his face.

He didn't particularly give so much as a rat's ass for comments like that. They must have thought he'd get easily affected, but he wasn't, and he'll never really be affected – years of tolerance and patience. That was it. And he was immune to such taunts, such words; he embraced himself – all of his glittery and marvellous self.

It was the first week of October now, and Magnus felt like he'd been in this hellhole for more than just three weeks. He didn't actually hate it, but he missed his insane night life, his crazy bar hopping and how he'd spend the days lazily and sleep in until noon. He supposed he could do that, right? He could sleep in until noon and just give the class pages to read, something to answer, and collect it when he got to school – at around three, so close to dismissal.

He looked at his reflection, and maybe, even if his days were as long as the nights he used to have, there was still one thing he would be thankful for. And that was the delight and satisfaction he got every time he looked into a mirror. And he looks into one quite a lot.

But it wasn't just the loss of his night life that bothered him. He thought he was getting quite old for it already – insert suppressed laughter – okay, so that was a lie, but still. He could live life the fast way, and die young and leave a very beautiful corpse, one of the few things he's made sure to do. But death wasn't such a beautiful thing when you teach History; teach of the deaths that have gone on for ages and ages hence.

Magnus took his phone out, checked the time and sighed. Another class in ten minutes. He supposed it wasn't so bad now, he was getting used to it. Students generally liked him. And he wasn't fond of them, but he didn't really hate them, and he could handle an hour with them, and at most two hours. It wasn't so bad. They never got out of line, except maybe for a few other students who thought they were all that, but most of the others had respect for him as a teacher, and admired – or just feared – his very glittery ways.

Taking his feet off the table because someone was heading up to him, her hair pulled back, silvery with age, though her eyes were stern and hard. Magnus tried not to look away from the pure authority that rolled over this woman.

"Bane," She said, tone stern.

"Imogen," Magnus said, a little bit too cheerily, because the woman's gaze hardened.

"Malachi is in need of your…Services," Imogen Herondale went on, and Magnus rolled his eyes.

"Oh _please,_" When she opted to speak again, Magnus shook his head, his mouth a hard line. "I'm already teaching these spawns against my will. What else does the great Malachi want?"

Imogen was close to thwacking his head with the clipboard in her hands.

"Malachi is confident that you will take a liking to this new assignment," She talked like they were the Secret Service, and Magnus couldn't help but snicker. She threw him another glare.

"Well, what is it? Better get on it now so that my refusal won't hinder me from attending to my next class,"

Again, Imogen Herondale was so close from that little edge of just hitting Magnus, or kicking his ass out of this school – the man surely did not wish to be here, and she wasn't very fond of his presence, anyway. But she looked up into the tall and flamboyant young man.

"Dramatics,"

* * *

"Raise your hand if you care about the decline of the Roman Empire,"

Magnus was sitting on his desk again, and he was sure that if either Imogen or Malachi saw, they'd surely kick his butt off. Especially if they went with their usual strolls – though their usual strolls usually took place in the same hall that he was in, as if they were deliberately checking on him. Like he'd set fire to the whole place! He'll wait until Monday morning for that, not usual hours like this. Because Monday mornings were assembly mornings, and assembly meant that everyone was in one place, thus, he could put a bomb in the whole school and skip merrily home, without disturbing any of those in their classes.

It was the best plan he'd come up with, but would require a lot of mechanical work, one that he didn't really like.

So instead he was stuck in class, looking at his nails.

"So all of you aren't even grateful for the Roman Empire?" Magnus was bored now, he was twenty minutes into his class and he was dead tired. Bored out of his mind. And here students complained about boring classes, surely they would know how boring it was for the teacher, too.

A few students raised their hands, and Magnus also noticed a paler hand among the rest shoot up.

"Which class are you again?" He distinctly heard somebody from the back row groan, while another laughed.

Magnus didn't really care which class they were, one way or another. History was history.

"Well the Roman Empire collapsed. How it happened? Flip your books to two-hundred and seventy three and start reading. No buts or I'll kick your own out of this room. Hand over a reaction paper by tomorrow, and I hope you don't expect me to read it in your horrid handwriting, so type it up. And it better be worth spending ten seconds on."

He got up from the table and then looked down at his class. "What is today?"

"Thursday," Somebody from the back answered, and Magnus nodded.

"No, I didn't want an answer from that, but thank you anyway, Michael." The boy raised his voice to say that his name was William, not Michael, but Magnus didn't really care about names, not unless the person behind the name made a striking impression. Without that certain spark, then their names were just a total blur.

"Behave my little spawns of Hell. I'm going to check on my calls," And with that, Magnus turned around, hearing the release of breaths from the students.

Magnus reached into his pocket and slid his phone up, scrolling through the call logs. His father. His father. His father. Malachi. And then Imogen.

What the hell was even happening? His call logs used to be full, and not just messages from his father to 'Do the job right'. He had people ringing him for a night out, for a drink, for a party – and he'd missed his parties, too. He gritted his teeth. Where had his life gone? Into this hellhole known as The Blessed Angels.

It wasn't his fault he was so bitter about his job.

He just missed the fun.

_But it's not like you can't make fun in the class._

Shut up, don't go there. Educational fun is not the same as crazy-drunk-fun.

_You've got a new crowd to please._

I aim to please no one but myself.

And with that, Magnus slid his phone shut, not really wanting to go through more unanswered calls and waiting voice messages.

When he saw the door to the classroom he'd just left creak a little bit open, Magnus raised his head and saw a mop of dark hair before it was followed by the rest of the boy.

Alexander Lightwood stepped out of the room and ran his hands down his pants. He didn't notice how Magnus was leaning against the wall, because he just walked past him – but not before Magnus coughed, and Alexander stopped, finally looking over his back.

"Mister Bane," Alexander sounded oddly calm, as if he was forcing the wave of calmness onto him. His eyes betrayed him, though. They looked agitated. "I didn't see you, and I needed to go to the bathroom." He explained, and Magnus just nodded, waving the student off with a hand as he closed his eyes in sweet silence, away from the stares of everybody else – from the teachers who judged him too quickly (though he couldn't even care if he tried.) to the students in the room.

Alexander's arrival didn't really unnerve him. Sure, he'd expected another call. He supposed he thought of Alexander as the type of boy to call even if he didn't want it, just because he was polite like that and didn't want to disappoint or disobey orders or requests. But he supposed he was wrong – Alexander didn't call, not the next day and not in the three weeks that passed.

Magnus pursed his lips. Why would he pursue the boy? He was beyond himself – he was a student, a student who was possibly trying to come into terms with his sexuality, but Magnus thought that after that little peck on the forehead and how Alexander didn't really punch him in the face, and the constant blushing that night…Well, the boy wasn't very straight. And one shouldn't forget about how he looked positively disgusted at the blonde that danced too close to him.

Magnus suppressed a shiver. He remembered the night fairly well, and if he wasn't a little bit intoxicated, then he would have remembered or rather, pointed out who Alexander Lightwood really was.

But it was a pleasant surprise none the less, and it wasn't so much as a mystery rather than a very easy puzzle to solve, the pieces so loose in the board that all he needed to do was push them together and behold! The puzzle was done, assembled and in their perfection. He noticed the eyes first, and then the voice – too familiar. And then the blush was a dead giveaway. And of course, if it wasn't really Alexander then he could just shrug it off. But it had happened to be Alexander, and well, what happened did happen, and Magnus was really just too old for these teenage misunderstandings.

What he wasn't expecting, though, was how Alexander could forget. Really, somebody like his amazing self could be forgotten? So he was drunk, but he should probably remember more than just the glitter!

Okay, so he should just give that route up. He had no interest in a student who had no interest on him. But maybe there was something in Magnus that wanted to thrive again, and maybe it was the lack of a hot fellow-faculty-member…Okay, nah, that route wasn't going to work out, either. He really should pay the Guidance Counselor a visit.

No, Magnus Bane would not stoop to that level – of even harassing a student. Because, right now, where he stood, said student had treated him as nothing but a teacher, and Magnus, in turn, treated all of them as students. Nothing really changed.

Besides, Magnus wasn't even sure why the boy would get this reaction from him.

But he did have blue eyes. And he was quite beautiful.

Which were very bad thoughts, because he faced the wall and laid his hand flat against it, feeling the cold hit his forehead.

"Mister Bane?" The voice was reluctant.

Magnus pulled away from the wall and turned around with the hint of a smile on his face. "Did you think I was going to start bashing my head against it?"

Alexander Lightwood looked a bit taken aback, but he shrugged that shrug of his and Magnus just sighed.

"Do you think I'm a bad teacher, Alexander?" Alexander probably had no idea why or how the question even came, because his eyes widened and he immediately shook his head.

"I think you have a…Different style when it comes to teaching." Alexander said slowly.

"I am not fit for this job," Magnus mused.

"You're a good teacher. And you have interesting methods. Different, but interesting."

Magnus raised an eyebrow, and under his gaze, he saw the blush that slowly started to creep up the boy's cheek.

"Thank you, Alexander." When Magnus lifted his hand to his hair – spiked up once more – his phone slid from his fingers.

Alexander reached forward to catch it, and held it back to Magnus, not meeting the man's eyes.

"You're a promising student. And tell Alexandra that-"Alexander coughed - A signal that he had gotten the name of his sister wrong. Magnus smiled the first soft smile for the day. "Tell Isabelle that her audition went well,"

Alexander nodded, and Magnus looked back at the boy's outstretched hand, before he took the phone in his own held, his fingers brushing against Alexander's.

When Magnus noticed how Alexander still looked a bit haunted by a certain memory, he just smiled and ruffled the boy's hair, much like how an older brother would with their younger sibling.

"Let's pretend that nothing happened," He was sincere in his words, and Magnus caught himself. He felt oddly sober – even if he lacked the drinking requirement. Maybe school was just making him sober up forever.

"What?" Alexander said, drawing away, confusion in his eyes.

"Exactly!" And with his usual sway, Magnus turned around, leaving Alexander in the hall. Magnus, apparently, turned around too fast because he failed to catch how Alexander's eyes clouded, and how his shoulders sagged.

* * *

Yep. This chapter is 3 weeks after Alec and Magnus finally meet. And no, Alec did not call Magnus. - sad face - . This chapter was sort of painful to write, because Magnus basically broke up with Alec (well, they aren't together - YET, YET! - but still, he's told Alec to 'forget' so that counts as a sort of break up, right?).

And I hope you guys understand why they still haven't gotten together, even after 9 chapters. But I already have a number in mind to have them hook up, and it's just waiting to be written. I hope you liked this anyway, though.

Chapter 10 would be posted on Monday.

Reviews are always appreciated!


	10. A Student, Some Glitter, And Drama

**Chapter 10: A Student, Some Glitter and Drama**

Magnus had coiled Isabelle's tie around his hand, and he pulled, the girl looking helpless. There was a fire in Magnus's eyes, and he looked down at Isabelle with nothing but disdain and hate. There was nothing else there, and his lips were in a thin line. His hold on the tie tightened and Isabelle's fingers flew to his hand, trying to pry them off.

"_Please_," She pleaded, feeling the tears well in her eyes.

"So you do not believe that mistakes of the old should be passed down to you – The youth?" Magnus's voice was cool, but it was also so cool it could have cut through ice and still melted the Pacific Ocean. Isabelle tried to shake her head, but Magnus had already let go of the tie and was now gripping both her wrists in an effort to hold the thrashing girl around.

"It's not my fault! I didn't know, please! Let me apologize!" Isabelle was sobbing now, and tears messed her mascara, but she didn't care. It _hurt_. It was all supposed to hurt.

Magnus had pushed her into the wall now and looked down at her as she slid and laid in a crumpled heap on the floor, long black hair a mess around her. He looked down at her, his golden-green eyes hard, unreadable and cold.

A few seconds passed, and there was silence, only Isabelle's sobbing could be heard throughout the room, before Magnus spread his arms and did a twirl.

He did a gentleman's bow and offered a hand up to Isabelle, who took it. She pushed her hair back, and there were no more tears leaking from her eyes, and even after that scene, she didn't really look bothered – she was actually smiling.

Finally, Magnus, still holding onto Isabelle's hand, walked onto the center and gave another bow.

"And that, darlings, is how you _act_," His smile was radiant, and his eyes shone with delight. Isabelle beside him was smiling, and she took a small bow, waving to the audience who burst into applause.

Magnus dropped her hand and turned once more to look at the audience, and half of these people were probably just Isabelle's admirers, who thought it would be pretty cool to try and audition for the Drama Club just because The Isabelle Lightwood was one of its main stars.

Well, Magnus found it 'pretty cool' to crush dreams of ever playing the lead man. Isabelle was talented; these guys were just a bunch of pathetic and crazy teenagers who would not be of any help unless drooling over Isabelle was "help". Magnus tried not to roll her eyes.

"Excellent job, Isabelle," And there was that glittery wink again, and Isabelle smiled up at him.

"Don't you mean 'Alexandra'?" She asked. It wasn't as if it bothered her, but if it made her special to Magnus, even in that little way, then she'd take it.

There was a strange glint in Magnus's eyes as she said that, though, but his smile was just as blinding as the lights up above.

"No, that wouldn't be right. Even if I do like the thought of you and Alexander as twins," He pursed his lips and Isabelle just giggled, before taking one last bow.

* * *

Alec sat in lunch again, but he sat alone. He had no idea where Isabelle was. Okay, so maybe he did – and he somewhat remembers how she mentioned something about 'Dramatics' and how he should 'check it out' but conveniently he'd 'forgotten' and would apologize for it during lunch. But she wasn't here. Jace wasn't anywhere to be seen, either. And although Alec did like his silence, he still didn't enjoy eating lunch alone.

He was sitting in their usual table, and like always, everybody didn't even ask for a seat or to sit with him, because they knew better. This table was for The Trio. And Alec sighed. He wasn't really anti-social…Okay, so maybe just a little, but it wasn't like he wanted to be antisocial or wanted to distance himself.

It was just that he found it hard to open up to others.

"Alec!" Well, that took her long enough.

He turned around, an apple in his mouth. Isabelle was there, waving at him from across the room. He noticed how her mascara had run, how her hair was sort of in a messy little bun, and how she simply beamed at everyone on her way. It was only when she'd slipped into her seat that Alec noticed the taller man behind her, although there was not a smile visible on his face, his eyes seemed to possess their own twinkle.

"Have you been crying?" Alec frowned, leaned forward to wipe at her eyes, but Isabelle only slapped his hand in a gentle and sisterly sort of way.

Unwillingly, he turned to Magnus, who was the only other person to blame, seeing as he was trailing his sister. Magnus shrugged, and Alec really had no idea whether this man was qualified to be a teacher or _what_.

"Acting." Magnus said with a tilt of his head. He sat just in front of Alec, and Alec tried not to twitch when Magnus's shoe hit his own.

But there would be no need for that. No need for false pretences. It was almost a month ago, wasn't it? When he had realized who Magnus really was, who the stranger truly was. And a month, too. A month in which he made it very clear that there was no way he was going to drop anyone a line, call anyone or that sort of thing. Alec didn't even see how it was something he should be making an effort on. He just didn't understand.

Also, it was probably just a week when the two of them had been on the same ground, not as student and teacher, but rather, equals. Almost a week when Magnus had said that 'nothing happened', and Alec was just too quick to accept, too quick to just forget.

Easier said than done, most of the time.

He wasn't going crazy. It was all just a strange and surreal feeling for him. He'd have girls flirt with him, and just this morning, during second period, he'd have an obnoxious brunette lean into his table and bat her – very fake – lashes at him, and slipped him a paper with her number in pink writing.

Alec remembered the number he found in his jacket a month and a few weeks ago, and he remembered how, even against his will, he'd called and demanded for the stranger to think of him otherwise, that he was simply not interested and could not care any less.

That was the case. It was always going to be the case.

And as for the girl? Well, he simply crumpled the paper – of course, not in front of her. He sighed, and didn't even bother to look at her. Maybe he should make an effort into finally dating someone. But the thought of dating somebody like that brunette – or a girl – made his stomach drop. Made him feel ice cold.

When Isabelle started snapping her fingers in front of his face, looking very much annoyed that he had zoned out again, Alec looked at her apologetically, his blue eyes conveying as much.

It was at that time, too that Jace slipped into his chair, his lunch tray empty of anything but a single box of apple juice.

Isabelle raised an eyebrow at the juice box. "Seriously?"

Jace looked at her, and his golden eyes hardened. He wasn't in a very good mood. "I have my quirks,"

Magnus, who was just humming under his breath and surveying the whole room, turned his attention on Jace and Isabelle.

"What's he doing here?" Jace murmured, and it was Magnus's turn to raise an eyebrow. Alec sensed there was some bad water between these two and pushed down a groan.

"Manners, Goldilocks," Magnus said ever so cheerfully, "And it should be: What is Mister Bane doing here?."

Jace just nodded as a sort of apology – and let's face it, that was the only apology he was going to give, and the only one Magnus was going to get.

"I'd love to stay and be put on Isabelle's little pedestal of fame, but I have teacher-sort-of-matters to attend to," Magnus got up from the table, gave Isabelle his most famous winks, an almost-smile to Alec and ignored Jace and his juice-box completely.

"Seriously, what was he doing here?" Jace repeated, and Alec sort of felt his sulky mood rolling in.

"What's your problem, Goldi?" Isabelle shot back. "And Mister Bane just made me his most promising actress! I couldn't brag without him to back it up,"

Alec thought she really could brag even without Magnus. But maybe she foud it reassuring? Isabelle was Isabelle.

When Jace didn't say anything, Isabelle and Alec exchanged glances. Really? Was this even happening? Jace who always had the last word in a fight, the last laugh? He was so quiet, and when he shifted in his seat and finally lifted his eyes to gaze somewhere far off, Alec followed that trail and then looked back at Jace, who had caught what he had done and didn't look very happy.

"It's a free cafeteria." Alec said with casualness he didn't really know he had in him. Okay, he had a lot of it in him.

"You didn't see anything." Jace said under his breath and stood up, leaving his tray and his cute little apple juice-box with them as he walked out of the table.

"Everybody just wants me to forget everything I see." Alec rolled his eyes, and he'd been wanting to roll his eyes at everything and everyone since the first hour into the school, but he'd held back.

Isabelle left a reassuring pat on his shoulder, and he noticed how the smeared makeup was now wiped clean, and she looked much like the normal and ever glamorous Isabelle that he knew, not the mascara-mess that she was earlier.

His sister only looked at him, her dark eyes large, but he just shook his head. He didn't need to let his little sister know about anything else aside from what he wanted her to know.

"What's Jace's problem?" Isabelle said, and leaning into the table, she took Alec's half-eaten apple and bit into the other side.

Ahh, sibling love.

Alec thought about what Jace had been looking at earlier, and how he seemed to carry a dark cloud behind him. He saw the small, redheaded girl sit very still as that band geek leaned forward and pressed a kiss on her lips. She had looked shocked for a moment before she smiled shyly.

And if Jace was really stuck up on that little thing – on her, on her tiny little thing – Alec had no idea why. Jace could get any girl he wanted, and yet it had taken only that little kiss from Simon Lewis and the small redhead to turn Jace's devil-may-care into an idontcurrrrr (that being a total understatement, which means that it really did bother the Golden Boy.)

But at Isabelle's question, though, Alec just snatched his apple from her hold and pushed the rest of his lunch to her.

"Probably didn't like apple," But Jace really liked apple. But was he really in a place to explain why their adopted brother was so caught up in such a drama?

Jace had told him to 'forget what he saw' and that meant he shouldn't have connected the dots. But Alec had enough of pretending like he didn't see anything, that remembering was only hard because "it didn't actually happen".

But he shouldn't be talking.

_You're a hypocrite._

Shut up. I know.

* * *

Clary blinked a couple of times, looked around, but since nobody was making such a big deal out of that kiss, just smiled shyly at Simon.

When she took his hand underneath the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze, Simon's returning smile was blinding. She felt like something had lifted in her, as if a missing piece had finally fit, or was finally found.

Again, Clary looked around, and Simon touched her cheek. Their new closeness was nice, it was reassuring, to know that somebody was there. To know that she could hold on to somewhere and pretend like they wouldn't let go.

"Clary? Are you okay? Who are you looking for?" Simon said, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

She turned to him with a very distant smile and shook her head. "Nothing, everything's fine," And she meant it – she knew that somewhere the stars were finally in her favour. That the stars had finally given her something she could feel good about, something she could lean on, even if just for a little while before everything would be ripped apart again. And she leaned in to kiss him again, this time, the kiss not just a quick peck, but something that lasted longer.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I have a theme song for Alec and Magnus for this story. "Romeo and Juliet" by The Killers. "_You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold_." And when I'm writing for ACLTCL, I listen to West Life (to get the romance going on...Well, to anticipate for the oncoming romance, anyway.), 2NE1 and Big Bang when I find Isabelle and Jace's part hard to write. And Eminem (don't ask why.). The chapter's mood depends on the artist I'm currently listening to. When I listen to KPOP though, expect loads of fluff. Hah. But yeah. But I'm listening to a lot of The Killers so...We'll see.

And that up there was completely unnecessary but whatever.

I'm excited for the oncoming chapters!

Review, review, review! I have enough glitter for everyone.


	11. A Lesson In History

**Chapter 11: A Lesson in History**

Jonathan Morgenstern was a rather happy little boy. But his happiness was always fleeting, even in his current age. His temper would get the better of him, all the time, and anger would cloud his judgement, and envy would stain everything green and red and would prevent him from doing what should be done, and not what he should be doing out of sheer impulse and anger.

And he was aware that he was hurting people, but that wasn't how he wanted things to be. Unfortunately, fate has a way of twisting things, and what he wanted did not end up becoming to what he is right now. And what he is…It's quite different to what he thought he would be.

Every time he catches a glimpse of red hair, he straightens, thinking that it's Clary. But even if it's not Clary, red still catches his eye. There's something in his little sister, so fragile, so tiny and small, that he needs to cage. Cage from the outside world, not so much as protect her from the dangers, but really shut her away, trap her in a world that only he could enter.

When he heard footsteps from behind him, Jonathan turned his back, and with that princely charm of his, he smiled. Clary looked away from him, and his smile fell, his eyes hardening. He clenched his fingers into a fist, not wanting them to be gripping on her thin wrist unless he wanted to hurt her again.

"Clary," Jonathan started, but Clary was already pushing past him, sitting herself in the backseat of the car.

His fingers pierced the skin in his hand, but he hopped onto the front seat, and he looked back at her. "You're not supposed to sit in the back."

Clary only shook her head, her green eyes narrowed. She wore a white long-sleeved blouse to hide the bruises on her hand. Her lip quivered and Jonathan was afraid she would start to cry.

"I don't want to be anywhere near you," Clary finally got out, and her green eyes didn't look weak at all, didn't scream for apologies. She was defiant of his anger, of his growing temper. If there was one thing the two of them had in common, besides the same parents, then it was their temper.

Jonathan didn't say anything, he just stepped on the gas and Clary felt the car make a sudden lurch, and she felt the seatbelt dig into her skin, felt the bumps as Jonathan drove like a maniac, his anger getting the worse out of him. Clary just closed her eyes, remembering her first kiss with Simon, and willing for his reassuring hands, willing for his company. Willing herself to get away from Jonathan.

"It's too bad," Jonathan said, and there was a coldness in his voice, a deadly coldness that made Clary shut her eyes tighter. "Because you're stuck with me, no matter what. And it will always be that way, Clary."

She felt the truth in his words and bit into her bottom lip. She felt her wrists ache. Jonathan had gripped at them too tightly last night, because he'd seen her kiss Simon. He'd seen his baby sister slip from his grasp. And he'd pushed her into the wall until she cried and cried, and he gathered her into his arms and wiped her tears, saying, again and again, that he would not hurt her again. That he was her brother and it was his duty to protect her.

But Clary did not think he was protecting her – because there were no dangers. If ever she needed protection then it would be protection from him.

Opening her eyes, she caught Jonathan's cold gaze in the rear view mirror and knew that escape would be futile, and the nightmares would be the only way out, if only for a little while.

* * *

Alec was bored.

As in, not the usual bored that was always associated with students, rather, the bored out of his mind kind of bored. That boredom that would lead his eyes to drooping, and then that would lead to falling asleep on his desk. It wasn't that the teacher was boring, no, because he was in Mister Bane's class, but the fact that the class had run for two hours already, and for once, Mister Bane was actually doing a very detailed lecture about the destruction of Rome, all of that. Well, Alec had certainly lost steam after the first forty-five minutes.

He glanced at his watch and leaned his cheek against his propped hand, feeling the wind from outside brush at his hair and tickle his cheek.

There was thirty minutes more. He could feel his cell being crushed against the wall, the phone tucked in his pocket, but he couldn't care less. It had vibrated on and off earlier, as if somebody was trying to reach him. But he had no idea who could be calling. Isabelle and Jace knew better than to call him during class.

Or maybe they knew better, but decided to just forget that Alec could throw a really mean punch and prank call him during class.

Were they really stupid enough to think that he wouldn't keep his phone on silent mode?

He shook the hair from his eyes, feeling another wave of sleepiness overcome here before he leaned against the wall. How convenient, Alec thought. This was actually the best place in the whole class, with the window and the wall and how the teachers would often skip looking at him for too long, because he was Alexander Lightwood, the boy that could be trusted in class not to slip up, the boy who had the answers. Most of the time, anyway.

"The Roman Gods and Goddesses!" Mister Bane's voice boomed in the class, and Alec jumped a bit in his seat, but not too obvious because Mister Bane continued on. He had moved on to another topic, and Alec just wanted the bell to ring.

It wasn't that he didn't like being in Mister Bane's class, no, he actually liked Mister Bane.

Thinking of how odd it sounded, even in his own mind, Alec mentally slapped himself and rephrased. He liked Mister Bane as a teacher. See, that sounded better, right?

Alec felt pathetic. He was having a mental struggle with himself, something everybody else was unaware of and he still beat himself up for every slip up, even when the slip up was in his mind.

"Heelllooo?" Mister Bane had paused in his talk about the twins Apollo and Diana and surveyed the class, his lips – a cherry red for today – pursed, and his hands on his hips. He narrowed his eyes, and Alec straightened up in his seat.

"You children have little to no attention spans sometimes." He sounded amused and just threw his hands in the air, jumping to sit on the edge of his table. He crossed his legs over the other, and looked around the class again before he thought that they all needed the next twenty minutes to just relax.

"Discussion done. Expect a surprise quiz by Friday," Alec thought that it wouldn't be a surprise anymore, but thought better not to raise his hand to really clarify, because Mister Bane had a weird way of working things out in his class.

But Alec also remembered how he'd said the same thing, though the actual quiz was held on Monday the next week, and not on Friday. And the students, thinking that Mister Bane had forgotten about the quiz, didn't even bother to scan their notes. Most of the class failed the damn quiz on Monday, and Mister Bane just shrugged.

Alec also doubted if Mister Bane actually knew of a proper schedule, or a calendar and a watch, because he seemed to be sort of lost sometimes when it came to the time. But maybe that was just one of his quirks.

When the said teacher's phone started to ring in class, though, Alec snapped out of his daze and looked up. When Mister Bane turned his back to the class to check his phone, he found the teacher's back go oddly still, before he turned around, and even from the distance, Alec felt the piercing gaze of those green-gold eyes.

Mister Bane raised an eyebrow, and Alec had no idea what he would want. Mister Bane had his phone against his ear, and Alec thought that it wasn't very professional of him to answer calls in class, or even take calls in class. But when the man's eyes didn't leave his, Alec felt self-conscious again, and everyone didn't really notice, because 20 minutes of free time meant that they could do whatever the hell they wanted.

Fingers started to tap on the back of his phone, and Alec turned to look away, but Mister Bane raised an eyebrow, his lips almost pulling into a smile. After a second, Mister Bane's gaze trailed down to Alec's legs, and Alec felt himself blush, but that wasn't what Mister Bane was implying.

Mister Bane opened his mouth as if to speak, and Alec finally slipped his fingers into his pocket to see that he had accidentally dialled for Mister Bane. He looked at the man, his eyes large with a fear he so did not want to show, and Mister Bane just smiled a little bit too angelically at him before sliding his phone shut.

Why he didn't even do that when he'd seen it was Alec – Alec who had no idea he had accidentally called Magnus – was beyond him.

"Alexander?" Mister Bane said, and he was standing a little bit closer from where he stood. A few heads turned, but others kept their own low, doing their own thing, gossiping, talking, listening to music, some catching some naps. It was almost two thirty now. "Are you feeling all right? You're looking…Rather pale."

* * *

Jace sat in Chemistry again, and his usual lap partner had ditched him for the band geek. He wanted to throw a beaker at them, and now that they were actually a couple, he thought of throwing a beaker full of chemicals at them.

He paused, and his fingers loosened their hold on the beaker.

What did he just think?

Did he actually care that the redhead who'd made it very impossible for him to even get a conversation going was going out with band geek Simon? No, it didn't. Jace placed the beaker down to the table and sighed. Behind him, he heard Clary giggle, and he looked over his shoulder.

Simon was ducking underneath the table, to retrieve something, maybe, and when Clary noticed Jace was staring, she didn't blush, she just looked at him.

"Hey, lab-partner," Jace said, and he felt a strange satisfaction in him when an apology almost rose to Clary's throat, and her eyes seemed sorry that she did leave him without a partner.

"Shove off, Jace." Simon was finally back, and he held his glasses in his hands.

"I don't remember talking to you." Jace's golden gaze was hard on Simon.

"It was her choice to make," Simon seemed to like how he had gotten Clary, how he was locking lips with her, but Jace felt like he'd throw up on the geek's shoes if he didn't shut up. Of course, throwing up was so un-Jace like that he didn't even think of it twice.

"Have you ever heard of casual talk?" Jace shot back, and Simon rolled his eyes.

"Don't bait her,"

"I don't work like you," And again, Jace felt a sickening sense of satisfaction when hurt flashed in Simon's eyes, and Clary squirmed in her seat.

Before Simon could insult Jace back, Jonathan had slipped into the room and sat next to Jace.

There was a startling resemblance between the two. Though Jace's hair was more of the golden touch, Jonathan's was the fair-type. When Jonathan looked at him and gave him a smile that really felt eerie, Jace just cocked his head to the side as a sort of greeting.

"Clary, you forgot your books." Jonathan turned around, and as Jace watched, he saw how Clary's green eyes widened in a moment of fear before she accepted the books and sat them down, not meeting her brother's eyes.

"Hey, Jace!" He heard before he even saw her, and she strutted just behind Jonathan, one arm on her hip. Her long dark hair was pinned up, and he noticed the smallest amount of glitter that adorned her hair.

_Oh dear god if she's sleeping with Mister Bane then I will kill myself._

Noticing where his gaze was, she narrowed her eyes. _Don't even go there, bastard. _

Jace returned her glare with a very wide-eyed stare, innocent except for the smirk on his face. _Already did._

"What are you doing here, Izzy?" If she was here to hand him his books, then the word was just full of funny today. But Isabelle shook her head and smiled coyly, but the smile was directed not to him, but to Jonathan, who had gotten up and offered her his seat.

A gentleman.

Ugh, Jace didn't like him much already.

Not that he liked him the first moment he stepped into the room, but still. He didn't like Jonathan.

When Isabelle slid into the stool beside Jace and smiled at Jonathan, Jace wanted to hit his head against one of the cabinets just beside him.

Finally turning back to him, Isabelle dropped the flirtatious smile and rolled her eyes. "Stop acting like a kid. And we have the same schedule during Thursdays."

"I don't remember you in any of the classes I've been," Jace ran a hand through his hair, messing the golden mess already and Isabelle slapped his hand away, and with her own finger, she combed through Jace's hair.

"That's because you sleep through most of your classes. How you've managed to get this far is beyond me."

Behind them, he could hear Clary shift again.

"Stop that, Izzy." Jace pulled her hand away from his hair. "It's in a beautiful mess. I can pull anything off."

Simon snorted behind him and Jace didn't even bother with a retort anymore.

"Now, tell me, what was that charming gentleman's name?" Isabelle placed her bag on the table and crossed her legs underneath it.

"Jonathan Morgenstern." Jace really wanted to say: He's a bastard, don't bother with it. But he knew Isabelle wouldn't really heed his warnings – just like he ignored her warnings. And he couldn't very well say that there was something that screamed bad vibes in Jonathan, not with his little sister behind them.

"He was nice enough to offer me a seat," And her dark eyes were staring straight into his own. Jace had perfected the art of staring back at Isabelle without so much as a shift in his position or a twitch.

"Half the boys in this school would give up their seats for you, Isabelle." She shrugged. "They're not being 'gentlemanly'; they just want to get in your pants."

Isabelle's smirk was short lived, because she socked Jace.

"Shut up and go to sleep. Class is almost starting." His lips twitched into a smile and Isabelle rolled her eyes.

* * *

Alec finally called Magnus. L O L .

Okay, we all need these not-so-full-of-Magnus/Alec-chapters. And I swear, Chapter 12 would be my late Valentines Day treat to you all for sticking with me and my 2nd multi-chaptered TMI fanfics.

And I'm only posting it today so that I can post the next on either Thursday or Friday.

Take this chapter as a sort of insider scoop about Jonathan's overprotective tendencies. And how Isabelle's finally caught sight of the fish she wants. Well, sort of wants. (Hint: It sure isn't Simon.).

Review and tell me what you think?


	12. A Plus

**DISCLAIMER**: I claim no ownership to TMI, Cassandra Clare is the rightful owner of any rights. I am just a fangirl who is deprived of her Magnus/Alec stories, and thus turned to fanfiction.

**Chapter 12: A+**

Isabelle had a knife on the edge of her bedside table, and was rummaging through her closet, flinging things away. Articles of clothing she did not need, or was not fit for what she was planning. Finally, she drew back and took out a pair of leather boots and sat them down, before plunging again into her closet, looking for the actual thing she'd really wear.

Finally finding them, she retreated and flung herself into her bed, black hair spilling around her. The knife glinted and she closed her eyes, triumph in her smile.

Yes, tomorrow was the night when monsters would come out and play. When demons prowled the streets and angels hid.

* * *

Jace did not like being bossed around. But he supposed there were really only very few people who could boss him around. Maryse and Isabelle, and Isabelle was a total bitch about it. And thus he had dragged a reluctant Max with him while he looked for boots. What the hell were those boots even for?

He rolled his eyes.

They were in a comic book store, just because Jace did not want to kill something in his process of looking for boots. He had one, actually, and why he even had one in the first place was beyond him. But they no longer fit and Isabelle had pushed him out of the house with Max to look for black hunting sort of boots that would match the costume she had prepared for him.

"Bless that girl," Jace murmured underneath his breath, and then thought of Alec, who surely would not agree to this. He bit back a snicker, because apparently, Isabelle could have anyone do what she wanted, and if she accompanied it with a threat then it was even more believable.

"Jace, can I get this?" Max called from a pile of books just somewhere to his left.

"Get anything you want."

He supposed he could treat Max to anything he wanted. The kid did get dragged into his little expedition. And it was only half of Jace's urging and another half of Isabelle's. Apparently, she wanted the house all to herself.

Up ahead, he could have sworn he saw a flash of red hair. Red hair, huh, what was so important with that? He just leaned back against the wall and waited for Max to come back with piles and piles of comic books that he could probably devour and finish by the end of the day, or early tomorrow.

But what came out of the stack of comic books was not Max, rather, a certain redhead and a certain band geek. Jace straightened and looked at them, and Simon raised an eyebrow.

"You call me a total geek and yet you're here." Simon said, and he fixed his glasses.

"I'm here for my little brother." Jace said very evenly, not even bothering with sarcasm anymore. Well, yet, anyway.

"Yeah, that's what they say," Simon snickered and Clary looked at Jace, as if she could apologize for Simon being rude.

It was at that moment that Max pushed past the two, and with surprising strength, too. Because Simon almost toppled over and Clary squeaked and jumped a few steps away, allowing the little boy to pass.

Jace felt a surge of pride for Max, even if it was for the very wrong reasons.

He ruffled Max's hair while the kid looked up at him behind his large glasses, and then back at the two.

"Should I apologize?" He whispered, and Jace shook his head.

"I didn't see you do anything wrong," And Jace smirked at Simon now, leading Max to the cashier while Clary looked at the little boy as if she wanted to wave at him and ask if _he _was all right when it was she who got shoved aside. Huh, that was new.

But then again, who didn't take a liking to Max?

* * *

**Alexander L.:**

Sorry.

**Magnus B:**

?

**Alexander L.:**

About the call…In class.

**Magnus B.:**

When I asked you to 'call me', I thought you'd call the next day. Not a month after and in class.

**Alexander L.:**

Sorry.

**Magnus B:**

It was that call or you sleeping in class. Don't want that now, do we?

**Alexander L.: **

Umm…No. Wait…?

**Magnus B.:**

Yes?

**Alexander L.: **

I thought you said nothing happened?

**Magnus B.: **

Nothing happened.

**Alexander L.:**

Then?

**Magnus B.:**

…Unless you want something to have happened?

**Alexander L.:**

Mister Bane…

**Magnus B.:**

There's that again.

**Alexander L.:**

What?

**Magnus B.: **

'Mister Bane'. I feel so old.

**Alexander L.: **

How old are you?

**Magnus B.:**

Guess.

**Alexander L.:**

I don't know.

**Magnus B.:**

How old do I look?

**Alexander L.:**

19.

**Magnus B.: **

A+ for you, Alexander. You're now my favourite student.

**Alexander L.:**

That's biased.

**Magnus B.:**

Nobody would ever know.

Alec rolled his eyes and sat the phone down on the dresser. He would delete the messages later. As he stood up and kicked at the black hunting boots by the end of his bed, he supposed he shouldn't delete them. There were just text messages, right? Nothing serious. And he was just a student who had accidentally dialed his teacher's number in class.

But how he got the number, well, that was surely a mystery. To everyone other than himself, anyway. And with that question would come as to why he had Mister Bane's number.

**Magnus B.:**

Are you studying for the quiz tomorrow?

**Alexander L.:**

There's not going to be one.

**Magnus B.:**

Do you want to play teacher now? Because I'm not opposed to that.

Alec had to reread the text a few more times. Because that looked like Mister Bane was flirting with him. Through the phone. And that surely was not how things were going to go. And nobody really ever flirted with him through text. One, because he never gave his phone number to anyone. And two, he would never text them back. So no flirting. And he was oblivious of girls flirting with him in class. And oblivious wasn't even in the right track as to Alec's perception of girls and flirting.

Deciding that he should just drop thoughts of Mister Bane flirting with him and whatever else that may fall in that same box, he looked back at his phone again and drew the blankets to his knees.

**Alexander L:**

When you say 'surprise quiz' it's not a surprise anymore.

**Magnus B.:**

But when I move the date to say, Tuesday, it'll be a surprise.

**Alexander L:**

All the time.

**Magnus B.:**

You've figured it out, though.

**Alexander L.:**

Just some common sense.

**Magnus B.:**

Everybody lacks it.

**Alexander L.: **

I have enough.

**Magnus B.:**

You have too much.

**Alexander L.:**

My siblings don't know what it is.

**Magnus B.:**

LOL.

**Alexander L.:**

…Yeah.

**Magnus B.:**

Be careful tomorrow.

**Alexander L.:**

What?

**Magnus B.:**

Monsters and all.

**Alexander L.:**

Don't believe in any.

**Magnus B.:**

What are you going as?

**Alexander L.: **

Do I get an A in the next quiz if I tell you?

**Magnus B.:**

That's cute. But I can wait.

Slipping the phone beneath his pillow, Alec turned to his side and felt heat rise to his cheeks. He couldn't even bring himself to reread what he'd sent to Mister Bane, much less read the other messages. Finally, he decided that it wouldn't be so bad if he kept the messages and just put up a password for his cell phone, incase anything happened.

And with that, he closed his eyes. Tomorrow, he knew, wouldn't be a long day. It was the night that would be long.

Because as they say…Ghouls, monsters, demons and creatures of the dark came out to play in Halloween.

* * *

Sorry, no sexy texting. Well, Magnus might give it a shot. We'll see. Haha.

So the next chapter would be Halloween! Of course they're dressing up!

Guess what The Trio and Magnus are gonna go as?


	13. Creatures of the Dark

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **There are only 3 numbers that I find "lucky". 7, 9 and 13. In Chapter 7, Alec and Magnus finally got to "meet". And in Chapter 9, Alec's realizing that there may be some feelings he's pushed down for Magnus (and why he felt sort of sad when Magnus told him to 'just forget'.). Now we have Chapter 13.

And just a note about Magnus's age: Magnus is not 19. He's actually 22 years old. But (to Alec's eyes. And Alec's view on Magnus's age is really the most important thing. Lol.) he looks like a 19 year old. And of course that's gonna flatter Magnus. So yeah.

**Chapter 13: Creatures of the Dark**

Needless to say, the whole school was decorated appropriately for Halloween. The Blessed Angels Academy was in full swing by seven, and it glowed with a very faint violet mixed with some orange. The music that came from the gym was both eerie and loud at the same time, and students flocked in their costumes.

From costumes that kids on the street would want to wear to costumes teenagers thought would be best, it was all there on display in the gym. Halloween was something the students of TBA anticipated for, waited for, and enjoyed. It was just another excuse to party and get drunk in punch that they would spike, all in the premise of school. It was, by far, the smartest thing Malachi had thought of. Not that he knew kids spiked the drinks and brought their own alcohol, but he didn't really need to know about that, and the students never really told him about it, either, or else he'd cancel the whole thing after five minutes of it.

Magnus thought that the whole thing was ridiculous, but it was fun, too. And perhaps this is the first night, the first time in school that he actually looked forward to. He was dressed like a warlock, and he wore contacts that resembled his own eye color – golden green – but instead of normal eyes, they were like a cat's. He purred at his reflection and ran a glittery hand through his hair, admiring how his lips looked extra red in the dim light, how his eyes were lined with eyeliner and how he looked amazing in his costume.

He could put those students in shame.

With a twirl of his fingers, he turned around. He was a warlock for the occasion, a very awesome warlock who glittered and wore a red-wine suit, the top unbuttoned a little bit, and a white rose tucked in the pocket. He would look much like a vampire, if not for the sweeping cape that trailed behind him and how he would shake his head and explain to everyone on the way that he was a warlock, and not something boring like a vampire.

He was probably the only teacher to really dress up. The others were…He honestly had no idea what the others were. But he had a hunch that they were dressed to be boring teachers who stood in the sideline. Oh wait…

With a snicker, Magnus pushed past the large doors of the gym and looked around. Students were either talking in their own group, dancing, or drinking. Or all of the three at once.

Leaning against the wall, his eyes not really looking for someone – he told himself that he wasn't looking for anyone, though, but that was a lie.

Finally, the doors burst open with a bang and a couple of heads swivelled to look at the entrance's direction. Magnus raised an eyebrow, blinked his cat-like eyes, and almost smirked. Almost.

There, dress in tight leather with a whip wrapped around her arm and a knife that held her hair in a high ponytail was Isabelle Lightwood, standing in the middle of her two brothers. Jace's head looked like a golden halo, but his costume did not scream angel. It screamed avenger, and just like Isabelle, he wore leather, though not as tight as hers. Alexander's own getup was the same, the boots and all. His blue eyes shone like beacons, and Magnus had a very strong urge to pull him aside and just get his own way with him, even if Alexander was not very open about what he was and what he wanted.

But he had _flirted _with him on the phone last night! Through text, of course. And Magnus wanted to bang his head against the wall because he had this argument with himself at least a couple of dozen times already, and he really should not be hung up on a student. It was wrong and not very professional and hell.

Turning his attention back at the three, he didn't exactly know what they were. They could be warriors, perhaps. That was the closest he could get. When Isabelle caught sight of him – and Magnus was still perplexed to know that Isabelle had grown quite 'fond' of him. Not in a way a simple school girl's crush would work on a teacher (because she of all people knew of how he swung.), but in a way that she would be a friend to him. And she was…In a way.

Isabelle waved at him, and she really did look striking and fierce and scary all at once. Finally stopping in front of him, she drew back for a while as she saw his eyes before she laughed.

"Warlock?" it was Alexander, and Magnus turned his gaze to him and smiled.

"Finally, somebody gets it! What are you three supposed to be? Fallen angels? Demons?" He looked at Isabelle's dark makeup, and then at the other two boys.

"Demon hunters," Isabelle explained. "We hunt demons in our drop dead gorgeous fashion and kill them to rid the world of evil."

"You aren't exactly the purest of creatures to rid our world of evil," He looked at Jace who smirked at him.

"Your eyes…" Alexander commented absentmindedly, and Magnus looked down at him.

"Contacts. Don't worry," He doubted if Alexander was really worrying, but he smiled anyway and caught the boy blush before turning back to Isabelle who looked at him with a steady gaze, her dark eyes glinting in the dim lighting. The girl was full of surprises.

"Oh, what's this?" He looked down now and noticed the little tuft of black hair that belonged to someone not very tall, who stood just beside Isabelle. "Demon hunters bring their dogs with them?"

"No, he's the demon we caught. Max, this is Mister Bane," Isabelle pushed the little boy into Magnus's immediate view and Magnus smiled a little bit too scarily for him because he glared at him.

"Cute. The chain is an added effect." And Max really was chained, the end of the chain held tightly by Isabelle.

"One of the many demons we caught. Of course, baby demons get special treatment so he's here as our dog," Jace said and Max glared up at him. Cute kid.

"If Malachi or Imogen sees him, tell him to get down on all fours and bark. They won't suspect a thing." Isabelle laughed outright and Alec and Jace both snickered while Max really wanted to kick at the four of them, but opted to cross his arms, anyway.

* * *

Alec had detached himself from his siblings and left Isabelle to talk with Mister Bane for a little while, with Max still chained to her, while Jace slipped away to entertain a couple of girls, probably bored talking to a teacher while he could party it out with other people.

He watched as Isabelle laughed with Mister Bane and Alec thought it was weird that Isabelle always sought Mister Bane's company, and he'd never actually seen Isabelle grow this fond about a teacher. She was, most of the time, pretty much annoyed by their mere prescence, but Mister Bane didn't have the aura of a teacher, not in the least, anyway. And surely not now when he was surrounded with students again who awed at his costume and listened to him talk.

Sipping from a cup and avoiding the dance floor at all costs, Alec just leaned against the door. He contemplated if he should get Max from Isabelle, but looking back at the corner, he didn't see them or Mister Bane.

Alec had a panicked thought that Isabelle would be dragging Max along while she soaked up the attention from all the guys. He should have taken Max from her, or should have left him back home. But Max had started to whine that he wanted to come with them and that Hodge would just let him answer his homework and it was Halloween and he didn't want to go trick or treating with Madeleine. Because he skipped all those child-like fun, and Max thought trick or treat was stupid. Alec's lips pulled into a soft smile. Max wasn't like other children. And the fact that he was chained to his older sister without so much as a complaint was pretty much proof already.

"If you'd told me you were going to go as a demon hunter then I would have never guessed that you'd look like this," Mister Bane was beside him, and Alec turned to his side to see the tall man, a pink drink in his hand. Mister Bane smiled down at him, though the softness of the smile was lost because of the strangeness in his eyes.

"Is this an A?" Alec felt his throat go dry, and Magnus threw his head back in laughter before lifting the cup to his lips.

"A+, if you want." Mister Bane said after a while and Alec liked to think that he was just normal, like them, and not a teacher. From this close, he didn't really look like a teacher, and noticing how the boy was staring at him, Magnus shifted his gaze and locked it onto Alec's. Alec felt heat rise up his cheeks.

"I'm not very fair when it comes to you, Alexander," Mister Bane's voice was softer now, and Alec averted his gaze. It was one thing to make eye contact with the man, but eye contact with those strange cat like eyes, well, that was different entirely.

"You look great, by the way." Mister Bane added. "And when I said 'not very fair', I meant I'm too…Biased," Alec blinked, and he saw Mister Bane's hand twitch, as if to reach for him.

"Can we…Talk somewhere else?" Alec was looking at Mister Bane's hands now, looking up to check if he agreed or shook his head in a no. But he nodded and they slipped out of the gym, into the dark and empty hall before slipping past another set of double doors to be met with a cold wind.

Mister Bane laughed at the cold sensation and took hold of Alec's wrist, dragging the boy behind the school to where they'd first meet – the space by the trees, just behind the whole building. At that memory, Alec blushed.

"Um…You look glittery and shiny." Was all Alec said and he heard another laugh from Mister Bane. He couldn't really count how many times he had laughed in the night already, but he preferred a laughing Magnus Bane to a sour and bitter one in class.

"Thank you. You look hot and dangerous. I was just censoring what I said earlier, somebody might have heard," if it was possible, then Alec blushed even harder.

* * *

Magnus watched Alexander for a moment, but what kept him really captivated were Alexander's eyes. Before he even knew it, he was reaching out to touch the boy's cheek. He remembered the first time he'd done it, and how his memory was slurred by alcohol, and how he'd basically forgotten about most of it the next day. He sighed at the memory and when Alexander twitched under his hand, Magnus looked down at him.

"You are gorgeous without even trying," Because Alexander didn't seem to be the type to really put a lot of effort into his clothing. From his sweaters to his jeans to whatever dark thing he could find. And Magnus did like the color black on him, it brought out his eyes.

Alexander's fingers caught hold of his wrist, and he looked down at the boy. There was confusion in his eyes, and Magnus pursed his lips. If he'd thought that this would be easy, then he thought wrong. He really should just step away and turn back, leave Alexander Lightwood here and pretend that nothing ever happened.

"I don't really forget easily," Magnus went on when Alexander stood frozen on his spot. He raised his other hand to cup Alexander's face. His blue eyes were stormed now, a mixture of confusion, of fear, of uncertainty and maybe even a hint of…Expectation.

But he didn't pull back from him, and Magnus took that as a good sign. If he wasn't as conflicted about this as him, then he would have already pushed Magnus aside and ran away, but he didn't. He just stood there. And maybe in the morning Magnus would think that he was just too shocked to move, but he really didn't like to think about Alexander being mortified of being touched by another man – by his teacher, no less – so he just went on.

"You have beautiful eyes."

* * *

Alec wasn't petrified, actually, maybe shocked, but there was something soft in the gesture, a warmth. And even with Mister Bane's contacts, he still felt compelled to look up and stare at him. He must look like a total idiot, trapped like this, but he couldn't say anything, couldn't even move.

There was a vogue sense of recollection at Mister Bane's words. As if he'd said that to him already. Maybe in a dream. He blushed at the thought of having dreamt about Mister Bane and not remembering.

"Dark hair and blue eyes…My favourite combination." And he leaned down and Alec closed his eyes, but he tilted his head up to meet what he knew was coming.

And he thought that yes, this was going to be a kiss.

* * *

I think I deserve some cookies for finally giving you guys a kiss. Like. Seriously. Hand those cookies over.

To those who want to know about Izzy, Jace, Simon, Clary and Jonathan, then their little scene was cut to make room for Magnus and Alec. But I have a chapter dedicated to all of them and their Halloween experience.

...Review and tell me what you think? And yes, I totally went with The Mortal Instruments world of Nephilim and Downworlders with their costumes. What? I couldn't resist. And I missed Magnus being a warlock. Even if he's just dressed as one for the night.


	14. Hide and Seek

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Hi, this chapter was the hardest to write so far. I don't even know why...And a quick update because I love you all.

So somebody wondered how long I intended to keep this going...Weellll! I have something massive planned! And I see it in maybe chapters 20 up, so yeah. I don't think this thing will reach 50 chapters or something. That's just intense! But it'll stop when I have nothing else to write. Just like what that pep-talk from Nanowrimo said: "You edit your work and you revise blah blah blah and when you find that no matter how hard you try, you can't rewrite it into a better version of what it is then you've got your end. That's your finished product." So until I have nothing else to give, I won't have a definite end or number on mind. **  
**

**Chapter 14: Hide and Seek**

Alec's eyes slid shut and he stood rigid for a moment, and Mister Bane pulled away, looking down at him as if he'd done something very wrong. Cheeks flaming, Alec took a step back and looked at the man. There was a tingling in his lips, as if Mister Bane could cause so much electricity to travel through him in that second.

"Mister Ba-" The man raised a glittery hand and shook his head. So was he going to pretend that he didn't do anything _again_?

"Don't," He said. "Alec."

Getting what he meant, Alec tried to call for him again, to just say his first name. It was odd enough, well, maybe because it was odd that he felt compelled to do so. That maybe that was one of the many reasons why he hadn't flung his teacher away from him the moment he started to touch him.

"Magnus," Alec said, and Mister Bane – Magnus's – eyes lit up at hearing his name, and Alec saw him take a step forward, and another, before he stood directly in-front of him, his tall frame towering over him. His eyes were still odd, and with the light of the moon, it made him even look more imposing, more…Ethereal and magical.

"That's better," Those long fingers came up to his cheek again, but this time, Alec saw the question in his eyes – _May I?_

He was too shocked to even nod, but not taking the silence and the stillness as a denial of his request, Magnus did it, anyway, and then tilted his chin up.

"Can we do that again? It was like kissing a statue." When Alec flushed a totally deep red, Magnus laughed, a short laugh that got carried away with the wind. "And no, I haven't kissed a statute. More than twice, anyway,"

Magnus must have noticed how Alec went from red to a little bit pale, because he stopped his laughter and just looked at him, for a very long time. And even with those strange, cat-like contacts that he wore, Alec still felt like Magnus was really staring straight at him, and not through him.

"Why?" The question left him before he even could really think about it, and even with it Magnus didn't draw back.

But he decided that the answer could wait for a little while because Magnus's thumbs drew small circles on his cheeks and leaned down again, and as much as the kiss earlier was expected, he still froze, not completely ready. But it had been his first kiss, and he had been a total statute – As Magnus had said.

Instead of freezing again, Alec tentatively reached a hand out and his fingers locked around one of Magnus's wrists. Taking this as a sign that he should just get on with it, Magnus pressed his lips against Alec's, in a very soft and very light kiss. And as light as it was, even with just their lips pressing against each other, Alec preferred this as to the one earlier.

And it wasn't at all like how he thought kissing was. It was…Nice.

When Magnus pulled away he gave a smile, the softest smile Alec had ever seen on him.

"You taste like strawberries,"

* * *

He didn't think it would happen. Sure, maybe the first one, but then that didn't really count as a proper kiss because it was just one-sided, and a one-sided kiss, with the other person not even responding properly to it…Well, it wasn't a very nice kiss.

But the second time was better. He saw the hesitation in Alec's eyes, but he had allowed him to do it, had tilted his head up to meet the kiss, and had kissed him back. It wasn't as hot or as passionate as making out really went, but that kiss had started something. And Magnus liked how it started.

And the boy tasted like strawberries.

"I'm not a fan of strawberries," Magnus commented, and he still hadn't pulled away from Alec, just running small circles with his thumb on Alec's cheeks.

"But maybe if I get used to the taste…?" Alec shifted underneath him, and Magnus dropped his hands, though a smile played across his face. It was okay. Tonight was more than okay. And he wouldn't push the boy anymore or any further.

"Do we pretend that nothing happened?" Magnus looked at Alec, who leaned against a tree, but there was a tenseness in his shoulders, as if he was worried about what he had just done. Well, he did nothing but kiss someone and that wasn't very wrong.

"I'm not good at forgetting," Stepping underneath the shadow of the large tree, Magnus ran his eyes down Alexander Lightwood.

"Was kissing me that bad?"

"…No,"

"Do you want us to play forget again?"

"I can't. Not anymore," Alec shot Magnus a glare, a glare which he found very adorable.

"The glare's not really working, Alexander. And it should, because you're in leather and a demon hunter. But you're adorable."

"I can try," Oh dear god, was this boy even real? Magnus really had to limit himself for one night. It wasn't that he couldn't handle a third kiss. But this was Alec – A shy and literal young man who hadn't come out of his very own closet.

Magnus liked the idea that Alec just pulled him into the closet and didn't even bother coming out. He could do that.

"So hide and seek?" Magnus suggested with a glittery wink.

Alec's blue eyes sharpened at the wink and he would really wink a hundred more times just to get to stare at those perfect blues.

"You're a teacher,"

"You are a student."

"I'm aware of that, Magnus,"

Oooh, that didn't sound so bad. Okay, no, he was lying. It sounded better than Mister Bane, and coming from Alec, it actually sounded great. He liked how it sounded.

"That makes two of us. So come here and let me mess your hair up,"

"I should leave."

Magnus felt his smile drop, but he had caught himself and just put up a very light smile, not quite reaching his eyes anymore. His arms still hung in the air, a silent invitation of wanting a hug.

Alec didn't leave, though. He stood there for a moment, not quite looking at Magnus, but he didn't turn around and leave or shove him aside. Instead, he stepped into the hug and Magnus's arms encircled him.

"This is nice," Even if the boy didn't really hug him back, it was fine. It could work out like this. He would make it work.

"That was my first kiss…" Alec's fingers clutched at the pocket of his suit and Magnus rested his chin on his head.

When the words finally sunk in, he almost pulled away, just to look into those deep eyes. He held on, though. And the hug was comforting to him, as if something had finally gone right in this school. Not counting how Alec was the same boy he'd hit on that one night in the Pandemonium.

"Do you want a third one?" It was Alec who pushed him very gently. Magnus's grip around his back slackened, but he didn't really let go. Not yet.

"Alec, look at me. Please."

When he finally did, Magnus dropped his hold around him and took a few steps back.

"I'm gonna make the choice very easy," He reached a hand out, and Alec looked at it, unsure. "Take my hand and we'll make this work. Walk away and nothing happened. And I will try to believe that nothing really did happen."

* * *

Soorrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyy! No third kiss for now! But you get a semi (somewhat awkward) hug anyway! Take that.

So do you think Alec refused Magnus? And this time...For good? - sad face :( - Or did he take Magnus's hand with the promise to make this thing work. So? What are your bets?

I (most of the time) write angst. But then I like fluffy romance, too. 50/50 chances, everyone. Let's see them answers!


	15. Steady as He Goes

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: I'm going to bash my head against the wall. I should stop updating like this. Three updates in three days. Hand the cookies over.

**Chapter 15: Steady As He Goes**

His ground was supposed to be rock-solid. Not shaky. Not in total waves of disruption like the sea in a storm. But that was how it was like an hour ago. What could have been escaped was met head on. And he didn't even pull away, he just stood there, and the second time, he kissed him back.

The third kiss was a very quick peck, right before Magnus had let him go. Right before he went out to take Max from Isabelle. Right before he decided to go home first. Of course, Magnus had offered to give him a ride home, just so his siblings could have their own car to go home to, but Alec had insisted that they didn't need a car and that they could just take the subway or something.

Lying on his bed now and on his side, Alec stared at his phone.

He had half the mind to think that he had just imagined it. But the other half of his mind said that no, it wasn't an imagination.

And everything else – his own occupation as a student aside – Alec thought of how it could work. He had taken Magnus's hand, and with that, the deal was sealed with a very quick kiss. And that was all Magnus had asked for, right? To see him again. But was this even a relationship? Should this even be something to take seriously?

Magnus wasn't the first man he'd found attractive. But he was actually the first man that had drawn him in, that he felt a very strong attraction to. And he had never expected this to happen, not even when he closed his eyes and thought back at how they should just forget, and how the flirting over text happened.

He rolled around his bed and groaned.

What had he just gotten himself into?

Behind him, his cell phone buzzed. Catching it before it buzzed its way to the edge of the table; he flipped it open and turned to his back now.

**Magnus: **

Is there a way of getting a 4th?

Alec blushed at the text but proceeded to type anyway.

**Alec: **

Only if you don't wear those contacts again.

**Magnus:**

Okay. They were tedious to put up with, anyway. But you should stop wearing contacts, too.

**Alec:**

I don't?

**Magnus:**

Those eyes are not real.

**Alec: **

Do you want to…Poke them out?

**Magnus:**

I can try. But I'd ruin your contacts.

**Alec:**

Magnus, please.

**Magnus:**

Say that again.

**Alec:**

Magnus?

**Magnus:**

Hmm...That.

**Alec: **

I don't wear contacts. My eyes are real.

**Magnus:**

I should poke them myself. See if they really are.

**Alec: **

You're hopeless.

**Magnus:**

That's what you think. Wait until after a few more days. I'm gonna be impossible.

**Alec: **

I don't doubt that.

When a couple of minutes had gone by and Magnus still didn't text back, Alec flipped his phone close and stared up at the ceiling.

It wasn't that he didn't like this. It was just…Weird. And it left him with a very tingling feeling in his stomach. And aside from that, it made him feel like he was way up high. Falling would hurt from such a height.

But the point wasn't because he was gay. He'd come to terms with that. It was just that it was Magnus. Mister Bane. And things maybe would've been easier if it was somebody else who wasn't his teacher. But this was Mister Bane. And Magnus was his History teacher. His very flamboyant and loud History teacher.

Okay, so maybe he hadn't actually come to terms with his sexuality. Not to others, anyway. He wasn't open about it, he didn't come out with a very loud and festive bang. Nobody even knew he was too far into the closet to even find the door again. Ugh.

His phone started to buzz again, and instead of a text, it was a call.

"Good night, Alec," The voice from the end was sweet. "Sleep well,"

* * *

"I have hangover soup!" Isabelle pounded on his door, and with a very well placed kick, it flew open and the slender form of his sister came into focus. "And I made coffee," She added when Alec didn't really stir.

Isabelle watched him, a hand on her jutted hip and sighed. "Don't make me drag you out of bed,"

"What time is it?" Rubbing sleep from his eyes, Alec looked around before looking back at Isabelle. She wasn't dressed to go out, only in shorts and a loud shirt. But that was how she always went – loud.

"Past eleven. Jace went out and Hodge is tutoring Max," As if that was the best thing she could have said, the best news ever, she gave Alec a smile.

"But I don't want hangover soup." His feet touched cold floor and he shivered. Why was his room most of the time freezing? It was not something he liked, even if it was something he was used to.

And he wasn't even drinking last night. They didn't even serve alcohol!

"What? You weren't invited to that party?" Isabelle genuinely looked confused and a little shocked.

Alec shrugged one shoulder and proceeded to follow Isabelle down to the dining room. Another familiar scene. And it was hilarious how this was how the next day had started, that first time in the Pandemonium with Magnus. And now the second night with Magnus…Well, fate had a way of laughing.

Isabelle pushed a bowl of steaming hangover soup, and Alec took it, a warning in his eyes. If Isabelle so much as cooked this and didn't just heat it then he wouldn't even touch it. But like before, she said that she just heated it and that was enough for Alec.

"I didn't even drink last night, Izzy." Isabelle rolled her eyes to the ceiling as she cradled a cup in her hands.

"Mmm, that's right. I didn't see you much," She raised both her eyebrows and Alec certainly did not like how those dark eyes of hers bore into his very core and at the same time threatening to devour him for all his worth. "You looked gorgeous last night. Note to self: Dress Alec up more often."

No, that was not happening. No way was he allowing Isabelle to dress him up as she did last night. It was only a one shot sort of thing, never to be repeated. And maybe a suit next time, but if she insisted that he put on designer clothing just for the hell of it and no special occasion or whatever then maybe she should just dress Jace up or use that money to shop for herself, because there was no way he was going to be doing that. Just no way.

He gulped down a spoonful of soup and eyed her as she sipped her coffee.

"Mister Bane thought you were hot, too," She had said it so softly Alec wasn't even sure if she really did say it. But she had paused for a second to stare at him over her cup of coffee before she started to sip from it again, a strange glint in her eyes.

Alec tried not to sputter soup all around. Instead, he forced another spoonful of soup. Hangover soup was really not working for this morning. He wasn't suffering from a hangover, thank you very much.

"Was that why I didn't see you for most of the night?" Isabelle had carried that tone, that all knowing tone and Alec stared at her with eyes wide, trying not to let horror seep through his very bones.

"W-What?" He managed to get out, and the third spoonful was very much hard to swallow. It felt like paste.

"Were you with Mister Bane?" Isabelle asked again, and Alec really wanted to throw his spoon at her. Did she not even know what 'keep your voice down' meant? But she waved her hand, the question so obvious in her eyes already. And he feared that nobody was home but the two of them. Madeleine was probably sweeping the music room and Max and Hodge were busy with their tutoring, so no, technically, they were the only ones in the first floor.

All the tortures Isabelle could think of without anybody hearing. Alec couldn't even imagine it all.

"No. What makes you say that?" He lied through his teeth.

"Alec, please. I'm your sister. And you know I love you, right? Regardless of who you're seeing," Isabelle's voice had gone very gentle and soft, and he found nothing but compassion, no such hints of ever teasing him in her eyes. "And don't lie to me, please. I'll steal your phone and confirm it myself, but I want to hear it from you,"

This was all going too fast. He placed the spoon down and looked at her from across the very long table.

"You wouldn't do that," He said, trying to keep his voice level and smooth. Calm like he usually was. But it didn't come out like that. It sounded like a plea.

"You're right. But I can pin you to the wall and get my answers with brute strength," She gave him a very little smile, obviously still not serious about her threat. "Just don't lie to me, Alec. I know you."

Slowly, he nodded. "Izzy, you don't know –"

"Doesn't matter. I like Mister Bane, I think he's cool." She grinned at him now and he noticed how glitter still danced in her hair. He tried to push down thoughts of why glitter was in her hair when glitter was owned by Magnus Bane. Seriously, that man must have all the glitter in the world for himself and wouldn't even share. But he shouldn't even think about that, this was his sister. She was as crazy and as flamboyant and as 'Thank God I am fabulous' like Magnus. Maybe that's why they really clicked.

"So are you seeing him?" She looked very much like a little girl now, her large eyes wide as she pushed her coffee aside and leaned forward on her elbows, looking straight at him.

He couldn't even nod, but his eyes said it all.

"Since when?" She pushed on again, and Alec was sure she was perfectly fine and happy with it. Happier than he could ever be at the realization. And now that he was telling somebody, well, it made it even more real.

"Last…Night?" He said and felt his cheeks flame up as Isabelle drew in a very dramatic breath.

Before he could even process whatever else she was saying and what he should be telling her, Isabelle shot up from her chair and started pacing the dining room.

"Alec, you have no idea how close I am to screaming at the top of my lungs. And that's only because you're finally seeing someone. I love you, Alec. And I'm as accepting as Jace is a bastard," She placed both of her hands on either side of his shoulders and forced him to look at her.

It didn't bother her? That her brother wasn't as straight as everybody might see him as?

"Izzy, not a word." And he knew, before she even nodded her vow of silence, that she could trust her with whatever secrets he had, with whatever he should be keeping. He trusted his little sister more than himself sometimes, and he loved her more than he could ever come to love himself. She was strong and independent and beautiful and she stood straight enough for all the Lightwood pride to be placed on her shoulders, while her older brother watched in the sidelines, supporting her in his own way.

Raising a finger to her lips in the popular gesture as silence, Isabelle nodded, a small smile playing across her features.

"Not a word to anyone, excluding Mister Bane!" Isabelle chirped and then ducked as Alec reached for her, but she was already by the door in a flash, her dark eyes glittering with hardly contained excitement and happiness.

But Alec just let her go, her laughter drifting back to him as he sat back down on the chair.

* * *

So I finally decided on an updating schedule. Here it goes: **Wednesday - Friday - Saturday. **

Oh and you guys are adorable. Alec couldn't deny Magnus, of course. I'm feeling extra-excited now with the coming chapters - because they're finally together! Oh chapters that have nothing but cute Magnus and Alec! Siiiigghhh.

Have a good Monday, everyone. Next update would be on Wednesday!


	16. Mr Brightside

**Chapter 16: Mr. Brightside**

His fingers were warm when he shook Magnus's hand. The shake was unexpected, and Magnus had went with it before tugging on Alec's hand and bringing them another step closer. He pressed a very light kiss to his lips and then pulled back, looking down at the young boy.

They were in for a fun ride.

And the warning signals in his head were screaming at him to stop, drop the hand and go! But no, he had completely ignored those signals and had just enjoyed the beauty that was Alexander Lightwood, who was finally – finally giving in to what he wanted. Even if he couldn't really find the words yesterday, but his actions spoke quite loudly.

The fact that Magnus did no urging and did not force him was also something. It was his choice to make, and he had chosen to pursue what they would soon be having, to see each other. Even with the pretence that they were student and teacher.

That was a good night.

He smiled at the memory of it and ran a finger behind Chairman Meow's ears.

"I have somebody new that you should meet," Magnus purred and the cat tilted his head up, blue eyes large and inquiring. "I'm sure you'll like him,"

Getting out of bed and still smiling, Magnus went over to his mirror. He wasn't flushed, per se. He didn't really blush, and even if he did, then making this man blush was as hard as making a fish drown. But there was a certain glow, a certain lift to his features. As if the storm cloud he had been enduring in The Blessed Angels had finally cleared. As if a rainbow had finally come.

His fingers gripped an empty bottle of water and he looked at himself. Black hair that hung loosely just below his ears, glitter that had not been quite washed, and face that wasn't horribly smudged with makeup he forgot to wash off last night.

What was he seeing?

Moreover, what was he thinking?

Alexander Lightwood was a boy. He had come to terms with that. But the kiss from last night – the acceptance, the promise and the prospect of seeing him more often. It was different, wasn't it? He'd been in enough relationships to realize that the first one to really fall hard would lose and would end up very hurt. And maybe that's why his defence mechanism shot up at the thought of blooming for somebody else.

He didn't think it was that bad.

But another part of his brain told him that this fun ride wouldn't just be fun, it would also be as thrilling as plunging from the top of the world into hard concrete. And that would hurt.

Aim not to please anyone else but yourself.

That was his motto and that was what he lived by. That and his ever personal TGIF: "Thank God I'm fabulous." F could stand for a lot of things, and most often, anyway, it stood for fabulous. Or fantastic. But fabulous had a more Magnus Bane ring, didn't it?

And so he really shouldn't be thinking too deep of where this so called 'relationship' would go. Alexander was still a confused boy, perhaps not as confused as he made him out to be, but still somewhat confused. And Magnus, well, Magnus was rather eager to offer his services.

So pushing back thoughts of this being all a game – because he did not play games. He was the Master of the game, not a player! – He picked his phone up and closed his bedroom door behind him, Chairman Meow just meowing over his shoulder.

"You really should learn to feed yourself," Magnus slid into the couch and draped one arm on the back of the couch. He wondered what it would be like to have Alec sitting beside him. It would be something he would not wonder about anymore – because he had every intention to bring the boy to his place.

"What?" Disbelief. "Well, tell that to Isabelle," And he heard the sigh that was so frequent already. Magnus shifted in his seat and stared at his phone for a while.

Oh, right. He had dialled Alec's number.

"Sorry, I was talking to Chairman Meow," Magnus felt a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He couldn't really understand why such a reaction was coming from him from just talking to Alec. Alec was different, that's for sure. And maybe it was just the shock and the thrill that added effect to the whole thing.

"Is it a cat?" Alec's voice came through again, and Magnus closed his eyes, a smile still playing on his face.

"No, Alexander. It is a vicious dog. A dog I named 'Chairman Meow' for the hell of it." Magnus would have rolled his eyes if Alec didn't sound serious. But the boy did.

"Really?" He could see Alec in his mind's eye – Blue eyes wide, mouth open in amazement and awe.

"You're adorable. But no, I wasn't serious. And yes, Chairman Meow is a cat. Not at all vicious, but you shouldn't let him hear you when you say that, though. He likes to think he's tough,"

"I like cats,"

"Perfect. Do you want to make an appointment to meet mine?" Magnus lifted his feet up to the couch and looked at his nails, curling his fingers to inspect them better. They were still in a bright yellow, just to match his cat like eyes from last night.

Alec didn't say anything and Magnus was afraid that he'd taken everything too fast. Did it seem too fast and pushy on his part to invite him over even after that first kiss last night?

But he didn't say anything, he just waited.

"I…Don't know where you live," Magnus instantly perked up at the thought of picking Alec up and then driving them back to his place. Sure, he could just give directions. But he was already grabbing for his jacket and heading for the door.

"Perfect!" At his own outburst, Alec coughed and Magnus dropped his jacket and then wheeled back towards his bedroom. He couldn't go see his potential lover dressed in pyjamas with messy bed hair and with smudged makeup on his face!

Well, he was perfectly fine with Alec's bed hair. It just didn't work on him.

And so fifteen minutes after, with Alec still on the line – because he refused to end the call, even if it meant expensive phone bills (he knew by reading on the students files that the Lightwoods were rich. Like, _rich.)_.

"I'll pick you up," He gave an air kiss to the phone's mouth piece and then clicked it close in a goodbye.

Bounding down the stairs, Magnus even found it in him to hum. And he never really hummed, because it was either tuneless or scared the cat away. But he was humming now, and it wasn't at all tuneless. Maybe not full of tune, but it certainly was not a sound that would scare anyone off.

He was happy at the idea of seeing Alec early in the morning (one in the afternoon was early for him, mind you.). And actually, he was just happy.

* * *

It's Wednesday! And it's short...But then, at least you guys can look forward to Alec and Chairman Meow's meeting.

Oh, and Fabulosgal asked me about my age...Well, I'm 16 and I'm a Senior in High School. Thank you so much, your review gives me confidence in my writing skills!


	17. Everybody Else

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **So...While Magnus and Alec were busy getting to know each other, the others were busy..With their Halloween. Yes, I know. The last chapter implied that Alec would meet Chairman Meow. But then I just felt like putting this chapter up and throwing you all into a sort of *flashback.* And I needed to get this out.

**Chapter 17: Everybody Else**

Clary pulled at a lock of her hair and then looked back up at Simon. He was dressed as Vampire Lestat, in his rock-out days. A rockstar vampire - that was what Simon had always wanted to be. Well, a rockstar. But since Halloween was special, then he opted to be a rockstar and a vampire. Just to get the dark vibes up and running.

He looked down at Clary who was dressed in pure white, her red hair startling dark against the immaculate color.

"I'm supposed to be an angel," Clary murmured, swatting Simon's arm. But she smiled anyway. She felt like she was floating, with the wings strapped to her back and the circlet that encircled her head.

"You're taking this whole immaculate thing a little too far." Simon prodded her in the arm and she just glared at him, and her glare, like most of her glares, had an effect that lasted for a good five seconds before Simon laughed.

"Jonathan…He wanted us to go as a pair," And Clary saw how unease settled on Simon's face and how he shifted slightly where he stood. She didn't really tell him anything about Jonathan, aside from how he sort of scared her sometimes, how he was too overprotective. And with her mom in the hospital, and Luke (her not so much of a step dad but more like the only legal guardian her mom had left her with if anything did happen to her) couldn't do anything but let her go when her mother was too sick to take care of her, and Clary was only a little girl then.

Luke couldn't do anything but watch her go. He handed her over to her father – who was not exactly divorced because he refused to sign the papers. – Valentine Morgenstern, who received her. She knew of her father, of course. And she also knew of her elder brother. But when her mother had left, Valentine had refused to sign any papers. Jocelyn had no other choice but to leave with Clary. It pained her to leave Jonathan, but with the promise to see their children at least three hours every week, then she was okay with it.

Jocelyn never told her, but she was fonder of her second born, her daughter, than of her first. And there was something in Jonathan that was dark, that hid a certain spark, and Clary always managed to glow, to emit her own light. They were like night and day. That was what her father – Valentine – had said.

And her "Legal Guardian" who wasn't really legal and wasn't really her "Dad" was Luke. Luke who looked after her and stood in her father's place. She saw a father in him more than what she saw Valentine. And Valentine wasn't exactly a bad father. He gave her what he wanted, but he also distanced himself.

But Luke, well, Luke had been there for her. From her first day in school to the day that she left her mother's apartment to go back to her father's mansion. One thing that she didn't really like was how Valentine was rich. And maybe she was too young then to understand why her mother had left him, even if he provided her with everything. He never cheated. And she never really cheated on him on Luke. Luke was just like a best friend. She was too young to understand why her mother would want to leave Valentine Morgenstern. Why she refused to carry his last name, and how Clary wanted to be called a Fray, too, only for Valentine to insist that her papers, her birth certificate – they all said that her name was Clarissa Morgenstern. That even if her mother would call herself Jocelyn Fray, she would always be a Morgenstern, and thus, Clary was one, as well.

It was hard on her part.

But her childhood – the certain few years of her childhood spent with Valentine, anyway – was okay. It wasn't as warm or as nurturing as when she was with her mother and Luke, but Valentine was a provider.

"Clary?" Jonathan emerged from a group of girls, who were dressed as bunnies and cute mice and nurses…Ugh, she shuddered at how her brother had even gotten so much fan girls in the few months that they were in this school.

Reluctantly looking away from Simon and putting her drink down, Clary looked at him and his approaching figure.

He was dressed as the exact opposite of what she was supposed to be. While Clary was all white and immaculate as an angel, Jonathan was all demonic and dark. Evil. The smile he gave her was not as cold, though. And this was the Jonathan she loved. The brother she knew. The warm and caring brother who didn't cage her from the outside world. Who liked to see her happy with Simon, even if his happiness about that was just fleeting.

She couldn't help but smile at him.

Beside her, Simon whistled. "You guys are really working this sister-brother thing," He gave Jonathan a thumbs up, and her brother grinned at Simon. The only thing odd about his whole getup was his light hair, as if he was once an angel who had become a demon. It would be like Jonathan.

Jonathan took her by the wrist but didn't pull, just bent down to whisper in her ear. "Don't drink any of the pink colored punch. They've mixed it with beer," She shuddered at how disgusting it would taste like and Jonathan patted her on the head, a brotherly affection in his eyes.

Clary loved her older brother. She really did. Even if he tended to be on the abusive side, but in the end, he would tell her he loved her and didn't want her to be hurt. There were times, of course, when she'd hate her guts. But if he wasn't protective of her and her relationships, then he was a pretty A-Okay big brother. Like now.

* * *

Isabelle, with the chain that attached itself to Max in her hand, looked around the crowd. She spotted the light blonde hair and smiled to herself. Of course, she would never chase after a guy. That was just disastrous. But he was dressed as a demon, and she was a demon hunter. So of course she needed to hunt him down.

Jace, as if on cue, materialized beside her.

"Feel like avenging some angels?" Isabelle giggled.

"I feel like our Trio is missing an Uno," Jace commented, but it was so off-handedly, and without much concern for Alec that they both just shrugged it off.

Isabelle, earlier, had seen Alec slip out of the gym, with that familiar glitter-dipped head. Interesting. She needed to get that out of him tomorrow morning.

But for now, there were demons that needed to be slain. And with a dramatic hair flip, she strode over to where the demon and his little angel plus their vampire friend was.

"I should stake a vampire, too," Jace snickered, taking out a wooden stake. "Raphael – The Senior – is a vampire. And it was convenient enough that he provided a stake."

"And then save the angel from all the darkness around her?" Isabelle rolled her eyes.

Jace stopped, twisting the fake-stake between his fingers before a smirk came up to his face. "Sounds like a plan,"

"Let's go kill the demon and his ridiculously fashion-blind vampire."

And with that, the two demon hunters went for their prey.

"You guys will kill this demon, right? And not chain him beside me?" Max made a face and the two Lightwoods looked down at him before they burst out in laughter.

"We only have one chain," Isabelle said, patting Max's head. The boy made a face and then almost bit her hand.

"That's a demon," Jace snickered.

* * *

Jonathan had a stake pointed at his heart. He blinked and the tall and slender girl that held the stake looked at him and then smiled.

"Should I stab myself? To save the demon-huntress the trouble of getting blood on her?" Jonathan's fingers circled the stake, and it wasn't really wrong how Isabelle just pointed the stake at him. She couldn't bring an actual knife, could she? Well, one was keeping her hair together, but that didn't count. Her hair was more important than some demon hunting. That was for sure.

"Sorry, demon, but you can't smooth talk your way out of a painful death. And take the stake. I have heels that can kill," Isabelle's smile was dark, and with the added tone of her makeup, she looked gorgeous. And sexy. And deadly.

Jonathan took the stake from her, their fingers brushing. His smile was less than evil.

"You don't usually use these things to kill demons," He said lightly. "Maybe a vampire. But if you want to kill a demon, then try something holy. Maybe a blade blessed by The Angels. Or by God," he saw Isabelle's eyes squint, but instead of tell him off for her choice of weapons, she just tipped her head and laughed.

"I think I want to chain this demon up," Isabelle said, and Max pulled at the chain, making a disgusted face. Was Isabelle really just flirting with some guy while her little brother was chained to her? Yep, she was.

"Max – " But before she could say anything else, the other Lightwood was behind her. He looked flushed, and Isabelle's hold on the chain loosened.

"I got the keys from Jace. We're going home," And by 'we' he meant him and the little boy – Max. So pulling at the chain that wasn't really much of a chain in the first place, Alec pulled their little brother away, with a distracted wave.

Isabelle looked at the empty chain in her hand and then up at Jonathan, who eyed the chain just as much as she did.

"A demon prisoner," He smiled, a very angelic sort of smile, and held his hands out for Isabelle to chain.

Instead of chaining him up, though, she grabbed hold of his collar and pulled, hearing fabric tear. His lips crushed against hers, and she smirked through the kiss. So she'd ripped his shirt, he was a demon. Demons shouldn't wear shirts in the first place, anyway.

* * *

Simon really didn't feel like watching the other two make-out here in the open. It must have been the alcohol. He sniffed it out of Isabelle Lightwood the moment she and her adoptive brother walked over to them.

And he had tensed, because what would those two want with him? But apparently, that wasn't how things would be going.

They weren't interested in him; per se. Isabelle was interested in Jonathan. And that kiss they just shared could have burned the whole gymnasium. It certainly got a few looks and glances and collective sighs, as if the guys had their heart broken. That Isabelle Lightwood went with the new guy instead of them.

He took a few steps away from them and just decided to get some more juice for him and Clary. Heh.

"Fairy princess?" Jace asked, and he leaned against a pillar, looking down at Clary. The redhead blushed, but she shook her head. "Hmm…An angel, then? As opposed to Jonathan's demonic ways?" There was more acid laced in that one sentence than Jace would have wanted it to go, but he had said it already and Clary didn't think it was offending in anyway. She probably failed to hear the sarcasm.

Finally, she nodded.

"You're not going to hunt angels down, are you?" Clary raised an eyebrow, and looked up at him, trying to look assaulted if ever he did think so. Jace just thought the effort was adorable and that the whole munchkin thing was working great for her.

"Unless they're deceitful angels who'll just betray Heaven, then I have no choice." Jace's words were soft and Clary found herself staring up at him. There was something in his golden hair and his eyes, the evenly tanned color of his skin. The way he just stood. She tried not to look at him too long, but it was too late. He caught her staring, and staring as in s_taring_ and smiled, that winning smile of his that swept girls off their feet.

"You can't hurt angels." Clary was frowning now, and Jace pushed himself off the pillar, looking at the shorter girl.

"I can hurt angels. I'll just be damned for an eternity if I do. There's a reason why there are barriers between angels and demons." Jace smirked and Clary was tempted to run her fingers through his hair. Or at least see him smile again, maybe even laugh.

Shocking herself at those thoughts, she took a step back. No, Simon was her boyfriend. Simon who was sweet and kind and funny. Simon who was – whoops.

A step too far.

She felt herself stumble, but Jace had already reached forward, his fingers wrapped around one wrist while his other hand positioned behind her back. They stayed like that for a second too long before he finally pulled her back to her feet.

Clumsy in all the wrong places and time, Clary tripped, until Jace caught her again.

When she finally detached herself from Jace, who was amused at this whole situation, Clary saw the smile on his face. He was amused at her clumsiness. She fisted her tiny fists, nails digging into her skin and then glared really hard at him.

People really had to stop laughing at all her short-comings (pun intended). Or with her trips. It's not like she was the only one who tripped! Really!

"Are you okay? You look a little…Red," Okay, so redhead jokes now? But Jace didn't look so amused anymore. He looked a little bit concerned and reached a hand out. She tried to take another step only to realize that that was what caused her stumbled earlier.

She reached for Jace before he even realized what was happening, their fingers lacing through the other's and he tugged at her now.

"Clary," Jace breathed, and she noticed how close they were, how she was pressed against him. How she could make out his smell…And he smelled like the sun, a little golden, and of soap. He smiled nice. She didn't pull away, not when his hold had dropped to her back again and he'd dragged her a little bit farther from where she had stood earlier, just so she wouldn't fall and hurt herself. Because he wouldn't always be able to catch her if she did now, would she?

And while they moved, not even for a single second did he let go of her. They stayed pressed against the other, and when he looked down at her, he noticed how flushed she was, how her green eyes were bright, how her mouth was open, maybe for an apology or a thank you.

"You never really let me introduce myself formally that first day of school." Jace said softly, just against her ear.

Clary tried not to bury her face against his chest. They were already so close. And just a tiny, tiny tilt of her head would accomplish that.

"Hi, my name is Clary Morgenstern," She said, and this time, there was no humour in her words. She didn't really treat him very fairly that first time. It wasn't fair. Now was a good time to finally get the introductions out.

"I'm Jace Lightwood." And his hand dropped from her lower back. Jace looked at her, and his eyes seemed to harden. Her fingers weren't very compliant. Let Jace go, let Jace go! That was what her brain was saying, but her fingers held on, until she took a step back and her hands fell to either side of her.

Jace finally brought his gaze back down at her and then he smiled. It seemed forced now, that hard and cold look in his golden eyes. He walked away before she could even ask what was wrong, and she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Looking back, she saw Simon, holding a cup filled with juice. There was more than shock and anger in his eyes. He didn't see how Jace helped her to her feet. He only saw how they were practically pressed against each other. And finally, she recognized the look in his eyes. There was sadness.

* * *

Jace looked over his shoulder, Isabelle following behind him. He tried not to let Simon ruin his night. Well, mission accomplished, right? That was what he wanted. To have a proper introduction.

And if she only responded to him that first day, then maybe he would have taken her around the school. A guide. In a tour. Too bad.

He scowled as Isabelle finally caught up with him.

_Too bad. _

* * *

Don't worry, I have a lot of Magnus/Alec coming! Just bear with me for this one chapter...


	18. Stalking vs Extensive Research

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Here, have more Magnus/Alec.

**Chapter 18: Stalking vs Extensive Research**

Alec was up in his room and pacing. He tried to call Magnus back, but the man would not pick up. He forgot to give him his address! Surely Magnus would remember he didn't know where Alec lived and would pick up his calls or would at least text to ask where he lived!

But no, Magnus Bane was probably too busy in the shower or in front of his vanity mirror – Alec had no doubts about that – and wouldn't even bother answering his calls. He felt himself flush at the thought of being so worked up over simple missed calls. But Magnus said he was going to come and pick him up.

And as much as that thought sent butterflies to his stomach, Alec was still worried because Magnus did not know where he lived.

He heard a honk. Jace must be back from whatever place he went to. Alec gripped the edge of his table and closed his eyes. Was he ready to go to Magnus's place? Uh…Next question. Did he want to meet his cat? Sure, cats were cute. But did he actually want Magnus to pick him up? …He didn't think he was very ready for that, yet. But then it was just a trip to meet his cat!

It wasn't so bad, was it? It surely didn't look very wrong. It was cute. Going to meet his boyfriend's cat.

Boy…Friend.

He tried to say it out loud but only choked on the word. It sounded surreal. But was Magnus really his 'boyfriend'? Did the man even know of that word? Or was he just going to think of Alec as a fling? Alec tried not to scowl at his reflection when somebody started to pound on his door.

Shuffling towards it, he flung it open.

Max was standing in the hallway, and a gasping Isabelle was behind him, her hands on his shoulders.

"Max! I told you I'd answer the door!" Isabelle snapped, and Max didn't look very scared by her scolding. He just looked at Alec.

And Alec looked at Isabelle.

Wait, so it wasn't Jace who'd honked? Why would Jace even honk in the first place when he could just park in the garage? He didn't need to use the front door, he had his own keys! So they had a visitor? Or could it be Mother and Father?

"What? Who's there?" Alec asked, and Isabelle looked up from trying to pry Max away from Alec's doorway.

"Max, go! Hodge is looking for you! If you're not back in the next ten seconds then he'll give you a boring lecture about the history of the world or something." Max frowned and squirmed in her grasp.

"Alec! Izzy is hurting me!" Max wailed and started to squirm even more, Isabelle finally letting go and allowing him to run down the hall and down the stairs.

"Jace isn't back yet?" Alec frowned, and he really should have known that it wasn't Jace who'd honked earlier. "Wait, is it mom and dad?"

Isabelle, now that Max was gone, smiled too softly for his liking. Soft smiling was as close to angelical smiles as Isabelle could get. And when she tried to go for the innocent approach, Alec had a feeling something wasn't right.

"Somebody's looking for you." Isabelle stepped back from the door, allowing Alec exit and way.

"I didn't invite anyone," but he stepped into the hall anyway.

"Yeah, well, Mister Bane's downstairs. Alec, do you know how weird that sounded? Since when did we have teachers in our house?" She frowned and crossed her arms, challenging Alec. But then she just winked at him and gave him an air kiss, one his left cheek could not avoid.

And then her words finally dawned on him and he went very still.

"What?" Was the only thing he could say.

* * *

He got out of the car and eyed the large building that was the Lightwood's home. When the other teachers said they were rich…They weren't lying. And this was coming from somebody whose father was the biggest Business Tycoon out there. He eyed the doorbell and thought about knocking. How was it possible that rich people like them didn't have an intercom?

Maybe they liked things the old fashioned way. Well, Magnus wasn't opposed to that.

So he pressed the doorbell and stepped back. It was after a minute or two and after loud shouting that somebody opened the door.

He had to look down because the first time, he didn't see anyone. And the someone who'd opened the door was a little someone.

Magnus looked a little startled but then placed a lazy smile on his face and waved at the little boy.

"Hello. I'm here to see Alec," Magnus said, and Max – he remembered his name, of course – eyed him.

"Why aren't you shiny? And…Glittery?" Max said, and that was when Isabelle pulled him from the door, holding her brother against her chest and then wrestling around until Max finally stayed put.

Magnus, on the other hand, just laughed. This caught Isabelle's attention and the girl looked up and through the dark locks of hair that fell on her face.

"Sir?" Isabelle's eyes were large and she seemed surprised before Max thrashed around and then finally slipped from her grasp, running up the steps.

Isabelle only had the time to yell after Max to stay put or else she'd drag him back to Hodge before Magnus repeated that he'd come to see Alec. Isabelle looked at him, and he wasn't even sure if she really heard him but she started running after Max.

Magnus took that opportunity to step into the house, and he instantly found himself in the receiving room, where guests waited.

So the Lightwoods were quite old-fashioned when it came to their fashion, weren't they? But he liked how the house was vintage and classical. It was a good breathe from all the modernized things he's seen, or how his own condo was like.

When he sat himself down on one of the chairs, legs crossing, he looked around. There were traces of the kids growing up here, but they were faint. He saw the crayons that ran along one side of the wall and how that side was repainted, but then it had worn out when a new crayon-wielding child had started to draw on the walls.

It must be fun, he mused. To have so many siblings.

And speaking of siblings…The other two upstairs were screaming, the little boy wailing and turning to his brother for support when his sister was trying to get him away.

Magnus chuckled.

Must be fun to have siblings.

He'd never know.

And it must be fun, too. To be Isabelle Lightwood. To know what went on even without anybody telling her about it. To have her doubts confirmed. And Isabelle was a huntress, much like what she had been last night. And a huntress for what? Magnus could only think about how she was a huntress for the truth. For men. For high fashion. For her own place. For happiness. A huntress, and her prey the weak.

Maybe he'd been a bit too rash when he drove to the Lightwood's place. How would he explain it to Isabelle, then, if she asked what he was doing here? Nah, she was a bright girl. She'd understand.

Finally, after the shouting had died down, Magnus saw the little boy running back to him.

His hair was in a mess but he grinned.

"Alec can't move right now," Max seemed to find much glee in the fact that his brother was frozen.

"Oh? Then how is he going to come down?" Magnus asked, just playing along with the boy. It wasn't often he had interactions with children. Mindless teenagers did not count as 'children', even if children had a higher IQ than them.

"I don't know…" Max trailed off and then hopped on to the seat next to him, swinging his legs. He seemed like a quiet kid. And his smile had faded now.

"Maybe Isabelle can drag him by his hair?" Magnus said and Max shrugged.

"Maybe. But Izzy just threatens to do that, Jace actually does it."

"So maybe Alec will get dragged down those stairs by his hair, then." Magnus cringed at the thought of that pretty little head getting the hard end of the floor, but Max just shook his head.

"Jace isn't home." Max replied, looking over to where the receiving room's corners ended and to the visible flight of stairs. He saw the familiar dark hair of his siblings and how Isabelle was trying to control her laughter.

Magnus got up at the same time Max did, but unlike Max, he just remained standing.

"Max! Get back to Hodge! I thought I said – " Isabelle started, finally controlling her giggling fit. But Max just ran past her, escaping her fingers again and then climbed up the stairs to go back to his tutor.

Isabelle sighed and rolled her eyes, before finally looking back at Magnus. She looked at Alec, who didn't really know what to do but just flush in his own red and stand there, eyes almost bugging out as he looked at Magnus.

Magnus raised a hand and curled his fingers in a form of hello and Alec swallowed.

"Is it legit if I say I'm here strictly for school businesses? Alec's failing history." Magnus said convincingly.

"I am not!" Alec shot back, and Magnus looked at him, a look of complete disbelief on his face.

Isabelle waved that away and looked at Magnus. "My brother isn't in good terms with sarcasm and subtlety. Forgive him,"

Magnus felt another smile coming up.

"I'm not failing history. I don't fail." Alec said stubbornly, the blush receding, offended at the thought of even failing history.

"Yeah, well. You might," Isabelle rolled her eyes and then turned around.

"I need the lead role for my silence," She called over her shoulder and winked at Magnus.

"Anything for you, sweetheart," And Isabelle was off, her laughter filling up the room and wrapping around Alec, just like how Magnus's gaze was solely on him now. Behind them, he felt the door to the room click to a lock. The room was only so small.

"How did you know where I lived?" Magnus was expecting a more: Oh, Magnus! How I missed you over the night! Kind of reaction from the boy but instead, he got this.

"Are you sure you didn't stalk me back then?" Well, the nerve!

Magnus's eyebrows shot up and his hand reached to grab Alec's wrist.

Well, he was liking this Alec little by little. If he had the time to be sarcastic – well, okay. Since when was Alec sarcastic? But if he could crack a sort of joke then that meant he was finally easing up.

"Alexander," He let out, and Alec tensed at the use of his full name. "I thought I already made it clear that after we met at the Pandemonium, I followed you home and got a job as a teacher in your school? Let's not forget how I pressured you into calling me."

Alec relaxed and then finally offered a small smile to Magnus.

"That's better. You should really smile more, especially when I'm around," He tsked. "And my father is co-owner of the school. I have access to 'restricted files'. But if it's restricted, then it's all the more fun."

"That's kind of like stalking…If you looked into my files…?" Alec said, but Magnus was pulling him to the front door now, and Alec, noticing that they were in public, took his hand back and just followed Magnus into his car.

"Not stalking. Just research," he slipped into the driver's seat, Alec following.

It must feel weird, getting into a car with a man you just started to kiss last night. But then again, relationships weren't as slow as theirs seemed to going. And it was only because Alec fought his own battles. And Magnus was going to help, little by little. Step by step. Baby step by tiny baby step.

Patience, Bane. Patience.

He started the car and Alec rattled on about how it really was not research but complete and utter stalking when Magnus placed his fingers underneath his chin and pressed their lips into a kiss.

And unlike last night, Alec didn't hesitate for more than three seconds. He kissed back, and then Magnus pulled away, beaming.

"That's better," He ran a finger down Alec's cheek, who looked at him with his blue eyes wide. Magnus started to drive, and really, if Alec continued to look at him like that then he may as well run into a building for being too damn distracted.

"Driving is hard," Magnus commented. "I'm doing a very bad job at resisting the urge to kiss you again, even with the green light," And to prove that point, he laced his fingers through Alec's.

"I've been dreaming about what it would be like…To drive you home," He said, and he felt Alec return the pressure to his hand.

Magnus couldn't help it, he looked at Alec and the boy looked more comfortable now.

"And it's very hard to stay focused in class. You're a strange one, Alexander," Magnus continued, and Alec just listened, holding on to that hand. The more he did, the more it felt right. The more he wanted the contact. "Three months,"

Three long months of looking at Alexander Lightwood and trying to convince himself that there would be nothing. That this was a student. And even with his mean streak, Magnus Bane was still a man of his word. And he'd given the boy his word to just forget and live their lives as nothing but student and teacher. But that didn't make it any easier.

Alec was attractive. But there was something in him that pulled Magnus into his own little world. He had gotten frustrated at first. Because how obvious was it that Alec wanted what Magnus thought about, what Magnus daydreamed about? But he was careful, too careful. He couldn't even voice out what he wanted. But Magnus saw. And each time he saw how Alec looked at him, well, it only made it harder to stay away.

But he never did stay away.

Last night…He'd never imagined something like that.

Sure, he was sort of hung up on Alec Lightwood. But maybe if he'd left it alone for a few more weeks, the attraction would die, and Alec would forget. And the two of them could really have a proper student-teacher relationship. Not what this was leading to. But of course, being Magnus Bane, he didn't leave it alone. And here they were, in his car. With the most adorable man he'd ever seen. Not counting his baby pictures. Okay, Alec certainly rivalled his baby pictures. Magnus smiled at that thought. But it wasn't like he was in this for Alec's looks. The boy wasn't even sure he had any looks to put up! Well, Magnus sure as hell would prove him wrong.

"So are you ready?" Magnus said, parking the car.

"Ready for what?" Alec flexed his fingers and felt them go numb. But he liked the feeling of holding Magnus's hand. It was cheesy, but it was a nice feeling.

"To meet my magnificent cat! I'm a little sad that you're not here to see me, but that's okay. Chairman Meow knows better than to steal my things,"

"I'm not your 'thing'." Alec frowned, following after Magnus into his large flat.

"You're not a 'thing'. But starting now, you sure are mine," And Alec had nothing to say about that, because Magnus's hand settled on either side of him, and he found his own fingers locked around Magnus's neck, their lips pressing against each other in a very sweet kiss.

* * *

Cheesy ending to a chapter that will lead to an even cheesier chapter 19th.

Oh, and I'm thinking of updating ever Friday and Saturday! :D

Review and tell me what you think? Oh, and I'm low on my cookie-stash. - sad face - .


	19. Chairman Meow

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Forget about an updating schedule. I have no updating schedule. I'll update as I please. And that would mean every other day. But oh well.

Please try not to get sick with all the fluff in this chapter.

**Chapter 19: Chairman Meow**

The cat darted from underneath the table, blue eyes intent on his human and whatever he's dragged into their home again. Chairman Meow took low to the floor, feeling like the largest feline in the house – feeling like a lion observing their prey. When those sneakered feet came to a stop just in front of where he was staying, he looked up and hissed.

Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!

His human had betrayed him and now there was an intruder who would take him away! He darted from the table and then ran up to the couch, claws digging into the carpet as he felt fingers pluck him off the ground. He seethed, scratched, and hissed. When those fingers finally had him in the air, he turned around and he saw him human.

Magnus Bane had both of his eyebrows raised, a look in his eyes that said: You better behave or else you're sleeping outside.

Chairman Meow could not be defeated! He hissed again, and this time, his head darted around, side to side, looking for the intruder earlier. When he couldn't spot hide nor hair of the intruder, he finally relaxed in Magnus's hand. The human nuzzled his furry little head and Chairman Meow closed his eyes. His human smelled sweet, he had that different smell that made him stand out from all the humans.

He meowed, and Magnus smiled fondly at him before he turned around and then held his hand out.

And there!

The intruder!

He hissed, backing back on the limited space on Magnus's palm. He leapt, barely missing Magnus's closing fingers, who tried to stop him.

The intruder raised both hands and his claws sunk into a jacket before he felt them scratch against skin. There was a startled sound but no other cry of pain followed.

Magnus plucked him away from the intruder and Chairman Meow's eyes bugged out.

Human! I was helping you from the intruder! Is this how you repay me?

He hissed but Magnus had already placed him on the ground, pushing him non-too gently away while he walked over to the intruder, offering his assistance.

The nerve of some humans!

And with that, tail high in the air and head held just as high, he trotted away. But not before he hissed back at the two.

* * *

Alec had barely enough time to register that that cat was lounging at him. The pain came as a sort of surprise, and not really something that emitted a cry of hurt from him. But he had to admit, the claws did leave their mark. He took his jacket off and Magnus pried his cat away from him.

"Cute cat," He commented sheepishly while Magnus took his arm. There were long scratch marks there along with some pricks of blood.

Magnus frowned.

"Are you hurt?" He said and Alec shook his head.

"I'm fine. Your cat is really small, though," As if on cue, Chairman Meow hissed and Alec took a step back. When he looked at Magnus he found that the man had an amused smile on his face along with a raised eyebrow.

No, of course he was not afraid of a cat! He was Alexander "Alec" Lightwood, older brother to two irresponsible siblings and one kid brother. He liked cats, they didn't scare him off. And Chairman Meow was adorable. A feisty little thing, but adorable nonetheless.

"I told you not to let him hear," Magnus sighed, but he still looked amused. He dropped Alec's hand and then laced their fingers together again, guiding Alec to the couch.

"So appointment cancelled? Because of an injury?" Magnus asked, settling down on the couch. Alec brought his legs up and looked at his arm. He didn't so much as mind that he and Magnus were close now. He had other things on mind. Like how to befriend that tiny little thing.

"It's still on," Alec said, determined to have that cat cuddle into him by the end of the hour. His eyes lit up at the thought of that and Magnus's face froze into an expression he couldn't really decode before he leaned forward and pressed the softest of kisses on his lips. Granted, he didn't get a lot of kisses. But it was the softest kiss Magnus had ever given him – and Magnus hadn't given him a lot. Yet.

* * *

When Alec got off the couch to search for Chairman Meow, Magnus just leaned back, bringing his knees closer to his chest. There was that moment of shock earlier, when Alec looked utterly determined with his task to befriend his cat.

He had frozen, and Alec had noticed, and he must have looked like an idiot. A total crush-struck fool. But Alec's eyes just gave that certain glow! It brightened up his whole face and it was too irresistible. He sighed at just the thought of that and leaned his cheek against his hand, switching the TV on.

Behind him, he could hear the hissing of Chairman Meow and Alec's voice, asking for the cat to come to him.

It was cute.

"Stop being cute," Magnus called.

"I don't think your cat could do that," Magnus looked behind him and saw Alec frowning.

"I didn't mean the cat," And there was that blush again, and the only thing Alec could say was: 'Oh'. It was adorable.

And Magnus, by the end of the week, would suffer from cavities. It was a crime to have a teenager be this cute. He was unaware of it! And it was also levels more unfair when said teenager didn't even register that he was cute or that he was gorgeous or handsome or even sexy! Because Magnus saw all of that in him.

"Magnus?" There it was again. And Magnus swore that he would never stop getting that elating feeling whenever Alec called him by that name. It was…Exhilarating. And he thought about school tomorrow, how Alec would address him as 'sir' or 'mister'. Well, he could enjoy this in their own time.

He waved a hand as an indication that he was listening.

"Where do you keep your food?"

"In the fridge. So that it won't spoil. Alexander, are you serious?" Alec snorted and then he heard him padding towards the kitchen.

"I meant the cat food! Surely you feed Chairman Meow…And don't leave him to starve?" But now that Alec thought about it, it was quite possible that Magnus would forget to feed the cat in his haste to get to work. He frowned at that. No cat should go hungry. Especially not one as tiny as Meow.

"Oh, somewhere beside the fridge. It's there," He wouldn't have gotten up. He could leave Alec to whatever business he needed to do with his cat, but then Alec Lightwood was in his kitchen!

Jesus. Alec Lightwood was in his kitchen!

The thought screamed at him.

And he was already standing, walking over to the kitchen. Alec stood on his tiptoes, trying to reach for the highest cupboard.

He didn't think he was aware of Magnus's entrance. Silently, he walked over behind Alec and then wrapped an arm around his waist before he reached his free hand out to open it and grab at the box of cat food. Alec froze at the touch, but after Magnus had placed the can down and Magnus was still behind him, he eased up on the touch.

Magnus leaned against him, loving how his hair tickled his cheek. Alec smelled of warmth and of mint. It was a good, clean type of smell.

"Strawberries," He said, and Alec squirmed in his hold. Magnus loosened up a bit and Alec turned around, his back against the kitchen counter.

Magnus didn't take a step back, though, or give him much room. He still stood very close, both arms now around Alec.

"What about strawberries?" Alec was blushing just by their mere proximity.

"I want strawberries." Magnus pointed out, matter of factly. Alec blinked. Those blue eyes were clear like crystals now and he remembered what he'd said about poking them just to prove if they were contacts or not.

Of course he was just joking then. Nothing fake could achieve this much beauty. Those eyes were a masterpiece on their own. Contacts that would aim to match it would only put to shame.

"You said you didn't like strawberries." Alec said, and there was that stubborn tone again.

"I told you I'd get used to it." The boy opened his mouth to speak, but Magnus just leaned down and hummed against the kiss. When Alec opened his mouth, though, giving him entrance, he gave out a sound of pure pleasure.

Well, well, well.

* * *

Alec was flushed.

And it wasn't just because he'd spent a good ten minutes kissing Magnus in his kitchen, but because it had gotten quite hot in the condo. And no, that wasn't the sexual tension. There was no sexual tension. He shuddered at the thought. It was just that it was so hot! He liked the warmth more than the cold, but this was just stifling.

"Why is it so hot?" He managed to ask out loud and Magnus looked from his place in front of the TV. He had given Alec the time, once more, to seek out Chairman Meow.

"Because of me. Thank you, though," Magnus sounded very serious that Alec didn't have the heart to point out that he was talking about the temperature. "But of course you mean the whole room and not me," Magnus got up and headed to the door and tweaked with a dial just beside it, punching in numbers.

In the next minute, Alec felt the temperature drop.

"It's too cold now," He complained, and Magnus's lip twitched into a smile.

"We can share body heat," He held his hands out and Alec shook his head. No, he was not here to cuddle it up with Magnus – as much as that was appealing – he was here because he had an appointment with Chairman Meow.

It sounded so pathetic and crazy and stupid and foolish and all kinds of other things that he couldn't help but groan.

But he was distracted when a flash of white streaked just in front of him. Whirling back and then running after the cat who now hid behind a large vase, Alec crouched, though he extended a hand.

"It's okay," He called, forgetting how Magnus's eyes bore into him. He saw the small head poke behind the vase, saw those blue eyes widen.

When he opened his other palm, this one with cat food, Chairman Meow sniffed at the air. He scattered it on the floor and the cat slowly advanced on it. It sniffed at the food, not entirely trusting Alec yet, but then, compelled by his own hunger, started to eat. Alec smiled down at the small thing, remembering how Max would forget to feed Church and how Church would act hurt about it and stay away.

"See? I'm not gonna hurt you." Alec added in a soft tone. The cat looked at him, blue eyes intense, before he started to approach his other hand. When Chairman Meow sniffed at his palm and didn't sink his teeth or claws – or both – on his arm, Alec reached out to pat his head.

The cat eased up on the touch and before he knew it, he was already standing, Chairman Meow nuzzled against one cheek. He whirled around in pure triumph and saw Magnus, still looking transfixed, stare at him. He was afraid he'd done something wrong before Magnus beamed at him.

"Mission accomplished."

* * *

Magnus's theme-song for Alec should be: "I won't say I'm in love."

Uh oh...?

Oh and to be perfectly honest: I have written chapter 29 already! Because I have to write a chapter every day so ta-daaahhh! I should get to posting everyday or something...But how does that sound? I've written 10 chapters in advanced already.

Give me cookies and glitter!

Oh and thank you to Krelseybelle for that review...Over 1000 words. It beats most of my chapters in length.

Okay, that's all. Bye.


	20. Normal and Mundane

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Hi, it's me again. Are you sick of my updates yet? Well...That's fine. I'll still update as I please. And it won't be everyday...Next update would be on Friday, you can bet on that! And we're back to a normal Monday morning...

Oh and I have made it to Chapter 20! Chapter 20. I never expected to write this far...

**Chapter 20: Normal and Mundane **

Isabelle strapped her heels on and slung her bag over her shoulder. Her hair was in a high ponytail, skirt just barely reaching her knees. And it was already too long for her taste. But she would play the good girl today. She had a date with Magnus Bane.

At the thought, Isabelle couldn't help but cringe. Of course, when she said 'date' she meant: 'I am going to get that lead role in the next school play just because he's dating my brother.' And for a while she felt like that was not fair, that it should be given to somebody who really worked hard for it. But then again, wasn't she deserving? Didn't he act out a scene with her, to the whole class and to half the male population of the school and praised her acting?

She could see a career in this, she really could. And if she failed – she wouldn't, duh. – then she'd model. Or do both. Ah, dreaming and only aiming for the top. People might hate on the Drama Club because it was for 'freaks' or whatever labels they had given to the title, but not anymore.

This was better than being a cheerleader. And last year, she was. Until she dropped out because the uniform got too boring for her tastes. High-fashion first before anything else.

Drama was different, though. Drama was…A good outlet. And ever since that little act on stage, everybody shut their mouth about how it was for freaks. Because it surely wasn't. The teacher himself was maybe a little bit of a freak, but Mister Bane was hilarious and great.

And his humour was lost on the other students. Ooops. Not all of them had connections to this teacher.

But she genuinely, truly and seriously liked Mister Bane. He was a cool teacher. And now that she knew that he was actually smacking lips with her brother…Well, that made it even more exciting.

She was scandalized by it, only for a little while. But then Alec Lightwood was her brother. Her brother who hid in his closet, already too far back. She smiled at the memory of how Alec told her – or how she got the information and truth from him. Maybe this would be a good start. Maybe it would help her brother in a way that neither she nor Jace could.

And Alec didn't really need help, per se. But he could use a boost in his confidence. And Magnus Bane was attractive. And hot. If he was straight, then Isabelle would be the one in the forbidden act with him. But he wasn't. That didn't make him less hot, though. And a hot teacher with her brother – who, by no means was not unattractive – would help his ego. Or whatever little thing he had that helped him get by.

Sliding out of the car and landing on her three-inch heels, Isabelle looked at Jace, who didn't seem quite as relaxed as he tried to be. Maybe it was the girl from Halloween. Too bad she was with the geek.

Alec looked extremely perky.

"You're looking happy," Jace said, taking a jab at Alec's mood. He got out of the car and Isabelle saw what Jace didn't – she saw how her brother's smile fell and how his eyes darkened.

"You sure know how to ruin somebody's day." Alec pushed past Jace, shoving the golden boy aside.

Jace stared at his back, not really comprehending what just happened. Alec who never really got angry with him, who tried to put up with all his moods…That Alec was angry. And Jace looked at Isabelle, but she just flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"You're insensitive, Jace. And I'm not even gonna call you an ass so early in the morning."

* * *

Jace was feeling sour.

He didn't mean to be a total asshat so early in the morning. Okay, maybe he could've gotten away with it if he at least smiled at Alec. But now that he was alone, both his siblings walking out on him, he thought about how he was insensitive. And how that must seem mean to Alec.

He was mean.

What's done was done.

Alec didn't really expect an apology, did he? He knew Jace enough to tell that there would be no apology.

It was just sort of sad how nobody thought he was capable of an apology. Well, they believed what they believed.

"What the hell do you want with Clary?" Jace stopped and blinked, feeling like he'd been walking in a daze the whole time. Simon Lewis stood in front of him, eyes bugging out even with those glasses on.

Jace managed a smirk.

"Not for the reason you want her," He replied, voice light and almost conversational, as if he was asking Simon about his classes. Or about lunch.

"She's my girlfriend. Lightwood you are a douche." Simon's fingers curled into a fist and Jace eyed it, not really seeing him as a threat. He could take this kid down and still look Golden Boy-ish when he entered class.

"You know what, I'm not even going to bother." Jace shoved Simon aside, but the boy stopped him, his fingers curling around Jace's wrist.

"Look here, Lewis." Jace walked closer to Simon now. He pushed the boy into a row of lockers and heard him groan out in pain. "I'm not going to steal your girlfriend. If she likes what she sees, then she can look. If she wants to touch, then I have no problem with that, either. Just remember that I'm not 'baiting' her, as you would put it."

And with that, Jace let go of Simon and walked away.

He would seriously not bait Clary. What made that girl so special, anyway? He could have anyone. Anyone taller than her. Prettier than her. Smarter than her. He scowled at the thought of somebody who was all that.

* * *

Alec tried to divert all angry and insulting words away from the subject of Jace. Jace was a bastard, a total insensitive ass. So what if Alec was looking happy? Didn't he deserve to smile in school?

Jace just couldn't rain on him like that. He loved his adoptive brother, really. But there were just times when Jace was just too much.

Breathing slowly and taking a sip of his water, Alec finally opened his eyes. He was met with his reflection on the mirror. He didn't look as bright as he did earlier. Thanks to a certain blonde. But he looked better.

He felt a little bit better.

His cell phone buzzing alerted him of a text, and if it was Jace saying he was sorry and that Alec should really not take him seriously then he wouldn't even bother with a reply for that. But it wasn't.

Alec should really know better than to expect apologies from Jace.

**Magnus:**

Coffee?

**Alec:**

I'm good.

**Magnus:**

Good Morning muffins?

**Alec:**

Umm…I'll pass.

**Magnus:**

Chocolate Milk?

**Alec:**

Maybe tonight.

**Magnus:**

Ohhh…I like that.

**Alec:**

Yeah?

**Magnus:**

So how about waffles?

**Alec:**

What is this? A breakfast menu?

**Magnus:**

No. You should've said 'No, Magnus. I want you.' Le sigh, Alec Lightwood.

Alec colored, reading the text. He barely escaped getting a locker slammed in his face.

**Magnus:**

Careful, Blue Eyes. We don't want that pretty face of yours hurt. Lockers can sting.

Blushing even redder now at the thought that Magnus was just so close to him that he could actually see that little accident, Alec looked around, scanning the hallway.

He didn't see the familiar spiky hair of the taller man. He couldn't even really tell if Magnus was around, and the only tall person he could spot was somebody who had straight hair that hung just below his ears.

Alec frowned.

**Alec:**

Where are you?

**Magnus:**

Try to look again.

And this time, Alec really did concentrate on looking for the tell-tale signs of Magnus and his glittery and spiked up hair. But there was nothing.

"Good morning, Alexander," The voice was smooth and conversational, and Alec stared at his phone. Did Magnus just call? And if he did call, then why the hell was he on loud speaker?

No, that couldn't be. His phone's screen only reflected the last of Magnus's text. Alec frowned, confusion settling in. Was he hearing Magnus now? Well, it wouldn't surprise him. He…Liked Magnus. And he liked his voice. Liked it when he spoke his name.

Just like now.

"Alexander? Are you okay?" Those fingers – those long and warm and very soft fingers he'd gotten to know over the weekend were on his shoulders, gripping him firmly. Alec blinked and finally saw Magnus, the taller man standing just in front of him.

He had his hair down.

Oh, so that was Magnus.

Alec suddenly felt stupid at failing to recognize his…His what? He thought Magnus was a boyfriend. That they were going out. But didn't that usually apply to high school? Sure, he was in high school. But Magnus was a teacher. Would it be even right to call him that?

"Alec?" Magnus called again, and his fingers came to frame his face. Alec felt instantly hyper-aware of everything, of how close they were. And of how they were in the hallway with everybody else. Would it be weird if they saw them like this? A teacher leaning down on a student? Well, it probably wasn't very weird because nobody even bothered to give them a second glance.

But Alec was bothered.

Magnus knew better than to do this thing in public. He was a teacher. He couldn't just touch students like that! ...Not in school, anyway.

"I'm fine," Alec finally managed to get out.

Magnus nodded and pulled back. He sighed, relieved now of that pressure.

"You look different." Alec said, starting to walk now. Magnus followed just beside him, a small smile on the teacher's face. Alec noticed how his fingers twitched at his side and he was pretty sure Magnus was thinking about looping those long arms of his around his waist just to bring them closer.

Alec liked it when Magnus did that.

But he did not want any of that in school.

No.

Magnus said they would make this work. And they would. But it wouldn't "work" if Magnus would think about going PDA. Alec didn't even come out to his parents - who were rarely there – so PDA was like the face of fear laughing at him.

"So you've noticed," Magnus mused. Alec's cheeks still felt warm at the text messages earlier.

But he tried to push those thoughts aside – they would only be distracting him. Instead, he concentrated on how Magnus really looked this morning. Magnus's hair was down low, and it made him look…Fresher. Alec noticed how eyeliner didn't really line his eyes, not very darkly, anyway. And how his lips weren't violet or any strange color. He looked bare.

Alec couldn't help the smile that surfaced on his face.

Magnus, not at all minding that Alec was staring, smiled in return.

"Cute. And…You're late for class," Alec could only roll his eyes when Magnus gave him a push into the room for his first class - Ahem. History.

Monday mornings didn't look very bad, not now, anyway.

As soon as he'd taken a seat, Magnus was already seated on the teacher's table, as per usual.

When he told the class to take out their pens and paper for a quiz, everybody else groaned. Magnus looked over all the heads and winked at Alec.

See? Surprise, surprise! Except, you know, Alec already saw this coming.

* * *

Isabelle pulled on Jonathan's hand, bringing him down to the chair beside her. A second after he finally sat down, she brushed her lips against his in a kiss. Alec felt revolted. No kissing in the table, please! But Isabelle was too lost already, her fingers gripping his shirt. Chuckling into the kiss and gently pushing her away, Jonathan gave his winning smile.

Winning smile? Hah! Jace had a winning smile, too. And Jonathan, well, Jonathan was stealing his fangirls. He didn't look very disturbed by the kiss, though, he just poked at his food while Isabelle listened intently to whatever Jonathan was saying and cracked a giggle here and there. Alec looked distracted, texting somebody over his food. He would occasionally cast the room a glance and then take a sip of coke before he went back to his phone.

So both his siblings were in a relationship. He could tell just as much with Alec – the scanning of the room for somebody, the constant texting, the hushed telephone calls he'd been getting over the weekend.

"Everybody hooked up on Halloween, huh?" Jace said, not at all sarcastic. He took Alec's coke from the boy's hand. His can was empty already.

Alec's knee hit the underside of the table and Jace was glad he'd taken the boy's coke. He would've spilled it all over himself. Poor baby.

Isabelle scowled, first at Jace, and then at Alec for spilling her juice. But Jonathan was already wiping it up, making sure it wouldn't reach her.

"What did you say?" For the first time in the twenty minutes that they sat in lunch, Alec finally spoke. Actually, it was the first thing they'd said to each other. Isabelle, before Jonathan had arrived, was too busy texting him. Alec picked at his food and then started on with his texting rampage. And Jace just sat there, trying to avoid the far corner of the cafeteria where Clary Morgenstern and her…'Boyfriend' sat.

"I said," And Jace said this very slowly, the words taking time to pass through his lips. He could see Alec blush. "You two hooked up on Halloween. Since when did you score faster than me?" He shot at Alec who, if he was drinking something, would've choked on it.

"I didn't score! I mean. What?" Alec sputtered and Jace reached his hand out to pat his brother's palm, the phone forgotten for the moment.

"You weren't even going to tell me you had a girlfriend?" Jace shrugged, as if the pain of being neglected was just rolling off his shoulders. He didn't need Isabelle to tell him she was going out. She was very public about her relationship with Jonathan Morgenstern. Ugh. Jace still found his fingers closing into a fist whenever he thought about Jonathan. Not good. Be nice to your sister's boyfriend, Jace. Be nice.

"Or a boyfriend. Whichever," He added lightly and snickered when Alec visibly paled. Isabelle had detached herself from Jonathan to look at her older brother, dark eyes wide and hand trying to reach for Alec. "Alec, lighten up. I was kidding."

And Alec didn't so much as lighten up as when he paled. Well, if that counted, anyway.

"Jace," Isabelle started, and he heard the tone of warning in her voice. If she was going to call him an insensitive bastard again then -

"I've had enough of lunch." Alec pushed his mostly-untouched tray away from him and stood up, Isabelle's eyes watching him as he did.

"Alec, you barely ate." Isabelle pointed out, and Alec managed a very tight smile.

"I'll just go get coke. Thanks for that, Jace," And the smile he gave Jace wasn't hostile. It wasn't very happy, either. Jace sunk into his chair, fingers still closed around the can of coke. There was something else in Alec's eyes. The smile didn't quite reach his eyes – those blues were, most of the time, bright. Alec's eyes just looked dull when he excused himself.

"I'm going as well." Isabelle grabbed her purse. "We're going," She told Jonathan who had already stood up beside her.

Jace just sat there; feeling like this day couldn't get any worse.

Isabelle was feeling way over protective of Alec's feelings, and Alec was offended way too easily. Since when did that happen?

He couldn't even think of something wrong that he'd said. But he watched his sister go and heard the faint bang when his head hit the table.

This Monday was just awesome.

* * *

I like to torture Jace, okay?

And I think I have the perfect Magnus! Miyavi...Is gorgeous. And at certain angles and certain lights, Kaka (the soccer player) kinda resembles my version of Alec, too. The body structure is perfect as well as the hair...When his hair is wet and sticking to his face and he's screaming in triumph in the field. Yep, when his hair is dry though it's just...Ehhh. Lol.

I'm sighing in my little fangirl world...


	21. Exclusive

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **2 characters from TMI make an appearance in this chapter.

**Chapter 21: Exclusive **

Magnus glanced at his watch. He just needed the bell to ring, signalling the end for classes. He was like a student himself, he thought. Waiting for the bell. Getting bored in class. Almost nodding off when he gave half the period for free. Nobody ever really told him about the "rules", and so he thought there were none. He believed there were none in his class – for he was the teacher and the classroom his field.

"Sir?" A girl who sat at the front row, who had dark hair and eyes and whose cheeks really stood out. She had strong features.

He tilted his head to the side, his own way of saying that he was listening.

"I was wondering," She started, her voice dropping. If she was going to ask him to repeat his half-hour lecture then she was out of luck. No repeats, none of that crap with him. "If there were still some spots open for the Drama Club?"

Hmm, interesting. She was pretty enough, with her large eyes and somewhat timid way of dressing up and her half-Asian features. But there was also something strong behind those eyes, and he had a feeling she only looked timid.

"Penhallow?" Magnus murmured, trying to bring forth her name. She nodded with a smile.

"Aline Penhallow, sir." He nodded again and he pushed off the table.

Aline Penhallow. A third year.

"So can I still audition?" Aline asked, gripping a notebook in her hands. Magnus nodded. Whatever. Whoever wanted in could get in. Well, if they could put on a good show, anyway.

She turned around and walked back to her table, leaving Magnus alone in the center of the room again.

Yeah. She could audition. He didn't stop anyone. He surely wouldn't start now. Stretching on the table and not minding half the students who'd tuned the world out and only concentrated on their earphones and their music. He wasn't strict with rules. He didn't see how it would really help. And nobody really did disrespect him in his class – they always looked forward to the ten or twenty minutes of "study time" by themselves. And study time meant a free period. Well, a quarter of a free period, anyway.

But the time still dragged on for him. He wanted to be somewhere else. Or to be with someone else. Alec.

Just the thought of the boy made him feel a little better. It would all be over. It was Thursday, and tomorrow would be a Friday. Fridays would mean dates. Or, however his boyfriend would want to spend it.

Was Alec okay with that? Being somebody's boyfriend? They were surely in a relationship. If Alec Lightwood even thought of this as an open relationship then Magnus would bash his own head against the wall until the whole school crumbled and he bled to death. Too over-dramatic, but he was fit for the arts. Still.

He turned away from the students now, looking at the board but not really seeing. He remembered what Ragnor Fell had said last night – That he had found a new boy toy. Magnus frowned.

* * *

_"You're in a relationship? Jeez, baby! And you never even thought of telling me!" Ragnor Fell said, a touch hurt. Magnus just rolled his eyes and draped one arm at the back of the couch. Ragnor promptly jumped on him then, drawing his legs up and nuzzling into Magnus's side._

_Magnus looked down at him and then a smile played across his features. For all he was worth, Ragnor Fell was probably not even half. Okay, joking aside. The man was his best friend. Grew up with him, had fun times with him. Ragnor was a total bitch, but aside from that, he was good company. And he wasn't as clingy as people really saw him to be. He was just…Possessive. Sometimes. Like now._

_Okay, so maybe he was clingy._

_"Rate him," Ragnor said, disentangling his limbs from Magnus's._

_And true, Magnus really didn't mind their closeness. There was no 'chemistry'. Well, if Alec saw them then maybe he would assume that something was there. But no, nothing was there between him and Ragnor. Not before, and surely not now. Besides, Ragnor's types were…Different from his own._

_Magnus pushed Ragnor off him and the man laughed, his brown eyes twinkling._

_"Ten is an understatement." Magnus simply said and Ragnor's eyes bugged out._

_"How good is he?" Trust the man to push past the easy questions and just jump to the tricky ones._

_"Darling, we started last Friday."_

_"Never stopped you before,"_

_"It's different this time."_

_"Hmm…That eleven must be worth it, then. For your patience."_

_"Worth every second."_

_"Is he a co-worker?"_

_At that, Magnus paused. Should he? Should he just publicly announce he was in a relationship with a student? Hell yeah. He had no boundaries, he had no restraints – most of the time._

_"A student who is so much more than an eleven," He said with a flick of his hair. Ragnor fell silent for a while, his mouth popping into the perfect 'O'._

_"Scandalous, Bane. Scandalous." Ragnor purred, those eyes still trained on Magnus. Well, if he wanted to hear more then by all means – Magnus wasn't really holding any information from the one person who hadn't abandoned him after he got a 'firm job' and stopped the parties._

_"Well? Introduce me!"_

_"Not a chance. I don't want anything scary near him," And he gave Ragnor a smirk, knowing full well how he would just creep Alec out. But then, Alec was polite and respectful and would probably brave the whole encounter with a nod and a smile if Ragnor tried to joke around._

_"Don't baby the boy," But Ragnor slumped in the couch, flicking through the channels now._

_"He's worth every second and every ounce of my patience," Magnus repeated while Ragnor just pursed his lips. "And I will baby him if I please."_

_"Your boy toy?"_

_"No. My boyfriend. I don't play like you, Fell." And there was a lightness in his tone that disguised his sickness at the term 'boy toy'. Alec was not a toy. He was a boy, and he was a boy-friend. Not a boy-toy. He broke the charts! He wasn't even an eleven in a scale of one to ten. Maybe he was a solid infinity if Ragnor would ask again._

* * *

"I have Drama," Isabelle had told him, tapping him on the shoulder. He was surprised Jonathan wasn't with her. "And you should come with. Watch," And there was that glint in her eyes again and Alec had a feeling she wasn't talking about watching her on stage. He flushed and Isabelle smiled.

And that was why, ten minutes after the bell for the last class had rung, signalling the end, Alec was seated inside the theatre, trying to stay at the far back. It was that one place in the whole theatre that people avoided – it was too far back, too dark and maybe some couples who wanted to fool around would go there, but during practice, nobody even bothered to glance up at his spot.

Which was what he was hoping for.

It wasn't like people would ask why he was here. Nobody ever really talked to him. Well, there were a few who started out conversations, but he never could carry the whole talk through the end and they gave up on him and he wasn't that interested in small talk with people he hardly knew, anyway. A little voice in his head said that that was the reason for small-talk – to gradually get closer to somebody.

The lights onstage flashed a brilliant red and instead of his sister Isabelle, it was another girl. Short dark hair and striking features. A one-act play? He couldn't really register much of what she was saying, or what she was doing.

He had other things in mind, other things to do. Like look for Magnus Bane in this whole theatre. He was in-charge of this club. Surely he would be near the stage?

But Magnus was nowhere, and Alec couldn't even spot the familiar spike of hair or the thin glitter that adorned it. Nor did he see somebody who towered over the rest, incredibly thin but still imposing.

A thump at his side signalled him of the presence of another and he craned his head to the side, looking past the darkness.

And here he thought nobody would bother him. And he didn't think that this could be Jace - Jace would've made his grand entrance. Even if it was just to sit down.

Focusing again on the shadow, he noticed just a hint of glitter and then a stretch of white – teeth.

"Hi," Magnus drawled, and Alec felt those long fingers play with the back of his hand, drawing small circles or just running up and down the length.

Alec wondered if Magnus could make out his blush even in the dark.

"Shouldn't you be watching that?" Alec said, trying to ignore how Magnus's fingers were really tickling him now.

"Ooops," Magnus had laced their fingers together now and just gave Alec's own a squeeze. "Well, I can watch it from here," Magnus gave a one-shoulder shrug and then lifted their hands to his mouth, kissing the back of Alec's palm.

Alec's shoulders went rigid and he reminded himself that they were in the darkest corner of the theatre, nobody would notice. And everybody was too busy watching the audition below to even glance up. And now that Isabelle had taken the stage, well, that provided as a good distraction to what was happening with them.

"I should've asked if I could sit with you," and Magnus lowered their joined hands. When he tried to loosen his hold on Alec's, Alec held on, giving Magnus's fingers a soft squeeze. In the darkness he could just make out Magnus's smile.

"Nobody notices this corner," Alec pointed out. He tuned out the screaming that came from the stage now – this was just acting. His sister was just in a heated verbal (possible slapping) scene with the other girl.

"I noticed you here." Magnus's lips came to brush against Alec's cheek now, and Alec flushed. They were so close. And this was so public.

"Did you look for me?" Alec swallowed and Magnus pulled back, but not before he left a fleeting kiss on his cheek.

"I was swooping up and down like a bat." When Alec looked frightened at what he just said, Magnus chuckled. "I was kidding. And yes, I did look for you. Did I ever tell you your eyes shine like a beacon of light in the darkness?"

Did Magnus just?

Did he just try at poetry?

Alec crinkled his nose and Magnus leaned forward, rubbing the tips of their noses together in an Eskimo kiss.

"Um…You said something about my eyes before…But you never went into that much detail," He smiled a little shyly and Magnus sunk back into his seat, playing with Alec's fingers.

There was silence for a few moments, not counting the screaming match that still went on. Magnus didn't look so interested with what they were doing – he was showing much more enthusiasm in drawing cute little hearts on Alec's palm. If Alec so much as felt the tip of his pen on his skin then he would pull back. Okay, he wouldn't. But then he'd have to show Magnus his lack of artistic ability and scribble down on that smooth caramel-like skin of his and and…Okay, Alec, take a breath. Relax.

And he did.

He found it a lot easier to relax and just breathe when he was with Magnus.

"We're not in an open relationship." Magnus finally said after the few moments of silence. Alec's hand jerked in his hold but Magnus didn't let go. "This is exclusive. I'm not seeing anybody but you," And he dropped his voice into that soft velvet purr, the same tone of voice that made the hair at the back of Alec's neck prickle, that sent butterflies to his stomach.

Alec only managed a nod. So Magnus Bane was a boyfriend? Okay, he was glad he was sitting down because the thought of Magnus as a boyfriend – officially. Well, not really official to the general public. With the obvious reasons. But to each other, anyway. – made his head feel light.

"I told a friend last night about how adorable my boyfriend is," The term sent those butterflies in his stomach again.

Magnus's cheek nuzzled against the crook of Alec's neck, and again, Alec was surprised at how easily Magnus could just lean into him, could just close their distance.

"You told somebody?" Alec echoed, and Magnus nodded, eyes fluttering to a close. "What?"

"You told Isabelle." Was the man's only reply, perfectly comfortable in his new position. And maybe Alec would have stayed like this for the next hour if they were not in school and in the theatre.

"And Ragnor Fell has vowed his utmost loyalty to me. Trust me that word won't get out unless you want it to," And Alec did trust Magnus. But there was that moment of panic at the thought of somebody else knowing.

But if that somebody else had a weird name like 'Ragnor Fell' then maybe there was nothing to be so worried about. And he really should not take a jab at this Ragnor Fell's name. Magnus Bane was a weird enough name. But it had a good ring to it.

Magnus lifted his cheek from Alec's shoulder and he brought a knuckle underneath the boy's chin. Alec closed his eyes as their lips met. Kissing Magnus, even with the little possibility that someone would notice them, was sweet. It made Alec feel nice. It was all types of good and soft and when he gasped and Magnus's tongue found entrance, it was another level of sweet and pleasurable.

When the kiss ended, the sweetness lingered.

"I have strawberries in my place." Magnus offered and Alec licked the bottom of his lip, nodding his approval. "Friday?" Alec nodded again.

"Then it's a date!" And Magnus stood up, swooped down to press a kiss to Alec's lips before he sauntered down the steps, heading for the stage.

* * *

I will write Ragnor Fell however way I want. Yay?

Oh and guess what? If Magnus and Alec were to make a public kiss then it would probably look like this...

http:/5 . p . s . mfcdn . net/store/manga/5025/01-001 . 0/compressed/ts_ajn_chapter01 . ajn_ch01_24_25 . jpg

Just press back-space before and after the dots ('.') when you copy/paste the link (if ever).

Oh and look! Alec in gif!

http: / 28 . media . tumblr . com / tumblr_lgqu2aLgf21qdmcruo1_500 . gif

Whaattt? He resembles my version of Alec! And Miyavi is now my Magnus Bane. I'm glad I have others on that side, too. Yay. But you know what, when I think of Alec's eyes I picture Alex Evans' eyes (not the whole person, though.). I'm a creep.


	22. That Story With a Boy and a Girl

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This couple actually plays a huge part in the story. And when I say "huge" I mean: I couldn't write anything without writing about these two first.

**Warning**: Jace/Clary. I call their couple CeLary. Get it? Oh, a lot of tough sibling love, and a forgotten Simon.

* * *

**Chapter 22: That Story with a Boy and a Girl**

"I'm not gonna be riding to school with you today," Clary started off, and this time, she stared straight up at Jonathan. When she noticed surprise flash in his eyes for a split second, she tightened her hold on her bag. "And I'm not gonna need a ride home, too."

She wouldn't let Jonathan scare her. She couldn't let him do that to her. She lived in constant fear – that he might hit her if she took a step too far. But so far, he wasn't so frustrated at her supposed relationship with Simon. And surely he wouldn't mind – not now that he was locking lips with Isabelle Lightwood.

Jonathan straightened up from tying the laces on his shoes and regarded her with clear and dark eyes.

"Are you going with Simon?" Clary nodded. Who else would she be going with? Walking to and from school. It'd be Simon, right? "Who else?"

Her brother gave her a weird smile as he picked his bag up and headed for the door. He held it open for her and Clary followed him out.

"Better him than somebody else." Jonathan said very softly, almost like a whisper that Clary wasn't even sure if she really did hear him say that.

"Who do you mean?" Clary frowned, idling by the doorway. It was just going to be Simon. Simon was her boyfriend! Why would he even assume that she'd be taking a ride – or walking, really, they would walk and take public transit – somebody else? It wasn't like she had a lot of friends (that were girls) in the school. She talked to some of the girls in class, but she was a year younger than most of them, and nobody in her art class really got to asking her pass her name and "Wow you're really good!". That was it.

She was always, most of the time, with Simon. And Jonathan would assume she would be with someone else?

"There he is." Jonathan pointed down the street at Simon, waving at her. Clary smiled. Jonathan placed a hand on her shoulder and then leaned down to press a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Simon's…Nice. And I won't be here for dinner. I have a date," And Jonathan smiled a very bright smile that lighted his eyes up and made Clary smile, too. He could be a pain in the butt sometimes but he was just working as her big brother. And although she had twisted views on what right and wrong were when big brothers would do it, Clary still couldn't really tell which was which. Did big brothers hit you when you went out with someone? Did they feel the need to lock you out?

Maybe it was just Jonathan. But she'd lived with the pain for so long. And he would show surprise affection like this – he would be so gentle and so soft and so caring and she would forget about all the bad things. And she would also forget how when he showed this side, something bad was sure to come.

She bounded down the steps and watched as Jonathan's car sped away and felt Simon's arm go around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him.

No, nothing bad would happen. It was thoughts like this that would attract the bad vibes. For now, she smiled and laughed while helping Simon up when he almost tripped.

* * *

"I have a hot date tonight," Isabelle said as she jumped down from the car. She pulled at the hem of her blouse and then dusted her skirt as Alec landed lightly behind her, pulling on the strap of his bag. Jace took the keys out of the ignition and ran a hand through his hair as he looked at the entrance, beside his siblings.

"So I'm not riding with you two. Who clearly don't have anywhere else to go on a Friday night. Booooo," Isabelle gave them a thumbs down and Jace scoffed.

"Alec and I have plans," Jace said, and Alec looked at him as if to say – Plans? WTF? We don't have plans!

"Does this 'plan' involve crashing The Pandemonium and drinking yourselves sick or does this include a cheesy horror movie with popcorn and pizza?" Isabelle flipped her hair over her shoulder and pulled her bag closer to her as they walked to the doors.

"It's gonna be as hot as your date." Jace shot and Isabelle replied with a middle finger.

"When is a horror movie 'cheesy'?" Alec asked from behind them. His head suddenly felt too light. No, he couldn't go to The Pandemonium with Jace tonight. He could go by himself. Grab a date. Or something. He had other plans. Plans that involved strawberries. And anybody could make him kneel if they offered him strawberries.

"And I have plans tonight." He finally said, which stopped Jace short on his bickering with Isabelle about how he could grab a girl right now and how she'd faint and then agree to go out with him for the night. In that order.

"Since when do you have plans other than 'study hours' on Fridays?" Jace said a little too bitterly. But Jace never let that type of tone come through his words. He was the type to just shrug it off and admit defeat and that he might just ask some random girl out just to get out of the house.

Isabelle glared at Jace and punched him in the arm. "Just because you're not getting any doesn't mean everybody else is deprived." She sniffed and it was Alec's turn to stop short.

"Oh God, don't tell me about your – " But Isabelle was already laughing a little too loudly and patting him on the arm consolingly.

"You didn't hear anything, Alec." And with that she walked away, leaving Jace and Alec in the center of the hall, five minutes before bell the bell for first period would ring.

Alec felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he took it out to read the message. He must have looked a little too out of it with his smiling because Jace gave his side a two-finger jab.

"Ow!"

"Since when did you have a date?" Jace leaned against a locker that was not his and crossed his arms.

"Since when did you think you can be all up with my business?" Alec shot back, his fingers closing around his phone.

Jace blinked and dropped his hands to his side, his golden eyes narrowed. Alec braced himself for a verbal knock-down, one Jace and Isabelle had on a regular basis, but instead, Jace just gave him a smirk and clapped him on the shoulder.

"So what do you think I should do tonight? I'll have Izzy out of my hair," He gave an overly dramatic sigh and Alec relaxed as Jace went on lightly, his mood taking a shift and a turn. "And I won't have you to nag like a mom."

Alec pushed him off but Jace just flashed him an easy grin.

"Play with Max. And if you're going to go with a girl then just get out of the house," Alec rolled his eyes and Jace nodded.

* * *

Max. That was right. Even if Isabelle and Alec had dates, Max would still be available. Ever faithful and ever loyal Max! Max his cute little sidekick! And if he took the kid out to a comic book store again then maybe he'd think about playing Guitar Hero all night. It wouldn't be as challenging as playing with Alec, or as loud as when he played with Isabelle (or as hurtful, because Izzy had the tendencies to kick him or hit him hard with a guitar. Or throw the guitar at him if he won and she lost. Thrice in a row. It happened, really. And his back would always hurt in the morning.) He groaned just at the thought of playing the game with Isabelle. That girl was dangerous.

Walking down the halls now with a new jump in his step because he finally had plans for the night – even if it meant a trip to the comic book store with his kid brother and playing Guitar Hero or some other RPG Max would like to play (or board games, if it came down to that). And he'd rather spend his Friday night with Max than with an annoying girl who'd only fawn over him. His fan-girls were annoying. One of the reasons why he quit soccer. And didn't even bother to try out for basketball. They were too loud. Too…Into the game. They were annoying.

And Isabelle thought he liked the attention! Well, in a way, he did. But they were never really special to him – all the girls in the school were just the same. And he would date one or two just for the hell of it and then get bored, because nothing would be new. They were just boring.

As the halls thinned and he found himself (almost) alone, the bell rung. Okay, so that must explain why the walls were close to empty. What he didn't expect was somebody to collide with him.

Jace stumbled and grabbed for the nearest hold. He managed to grab hold of the edge of the fountain. The other person wasn't so lucky, because she fell on the floor with a loud thump and a muffled 'ooff'. He heard books being scattered and when he steadied himself, he noticed the red hair.

And then the pale hands. And then he noticed the vertically challenged girl, standing up a little too wobbly to gather her books.

Jace was at her side in the next second, her books already gathered in his hold. He passed them to her and Clary looked at him, green eyes wide.

She had very pretty eyes.

"You okay?" Jace asked, eyeing her. She didn't look hurt, aside from being a little off-balanced. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah," Clary started. "I didn't get run over or anything," She tried to take a step forward and managed to take another one before she started to feel the whole hall slip from under her feet. Her hand reached to get a hold of a wall, of anything, just to steady herself. She felt like she was going to hurl.

But she didn't need any of that. Jace had wound his arm around her waist and steadied her, allowing her to lean into him.

"Did you hit your head?" Jace asked again, this time, concern in his eyes. If she was suffering from a concussion or something of that sort then it was his fault. Well, it was her fault. Since it was she who ran into him but then he was just standing in the hall like an idiot. So maybe nobody was to be blamed for that.

Clary sagged against his side and her books threatened to fall from her hands again. He took them and then slowly started to move.

"I'll take you to the nurse," Jace said and Clary nodded. She winced when she did and Jace sighed.

"Don't do that. Just lean on me," He offered and Clary was about to nod again when she remembered how it had hurt the first time she did so. Instead, she just let her head rest against his shoulder and bit her bottom lip, eyes glazing over. There was a pain in her ankle and she was afraid that she'd twisted it.

"W-Wait, my ankle." She said and then closed her eyes as a new pain shot through her leg when Jace shifted the slightest to the side and bumped her sneaker in the process. Yep, she had twisted her ankle in that collision. And hit her head. Hard.

"You can't walk?" But even before she could answer, Jace had already passed her her books back and his hands were already scooping her up, like a little girl. She stiffened in his hold and flushed a deep red but he didn't seem to notice it – he was only focused on getting her to the nurse.

Tightening her hold on her books and resting her head on his chest she closed her eyes. She could hear his heartbeat from this close. Or maybe that was just the ringing in his ears. But his arms formed a safe cocoon around her, and his strides were long and fast and they were at the nurses' office.

Her head hit the pillow softly and when the nurse placed an ice pack on her forehead, her eyes fluttered to an open. She could barely make out the outline – the golden outline that stood out from the stark white.

* * *

Jace watched as she slipped into unconsciousness and then into sleep, peaceful sleep, he could tell. Because her face looked relaxed and the creases on her forehead eased and her fingers were spread on the mattress.

"I'll give you a note that'll excuse your tardiness from class," The nurse told him but Jace only shook his head.

"I'll stay here." Jace said, simple as that. He settled on an arm chair that rested just beside the bed and placed the books down by the foot of the bed.

"You can't. There are classes." The nurse insisted and Jace had already passed a lot of scenes like this – how he would avoid classes and how, if he was in class just sleep through it.

"I got hit, too," And just for an effect, Jace placed a hand on his forehead and closed her eyes.

Pursing her lips and then nodding after really thinking about it, the nurse walked out, the door to the patients room banging to a close.

Jace shifted in his seat now to look at Clary, who was still in sleep. He should sleep, too. He had History, and he usually slept through in History. And then wake up because Mister Bane just needed to be loud and too expressive when he wanted to make his point known.

And the man's aim was extreme. He threw an eraser from the front of the room straight towards him, sending chalk dust in its wake. That sure as hell woke him up.

Magnus Bane. That teacher was something else. He felt a scowl rise to his face but he pushed it down. He didn't need to worry about that. He had other things to worry about. Like if Clary was okay. If Clary could walk again. If she would let him carry her down to the cafeteria when she woke up.

He was just being friendly. Really, he was. It wasn't like he was flirting with her. There was no flirting when the girl had a twisted ankle and almost fainted. His bride-style-carrying wasn't even romantic in anyway, either. She needed the nurse. He was a guy. He could do the math and he could carry her all the way there, instead of like, drag her to the office. That would just be painful on both their parts.

And he had made it very clear to Simon Lewis that he would not be stealing his girlfriend. As if! Jace Lightwood, stealing somebody else's girl? That was hilarious. Never. Really, and Clary Morgenstern was Clary Morgenstern. She was a specie. Not like the other girls in this school. A rare…Endangered being.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, the only thing she could make out was the whiteness of the room. And how it was damn cold. She pulled at the blanket that bunched up on her waist and shut her eyes tight again. How long had she been out?

Pulling herself up in a sitting position, she glanced around the room. The nurse's silhouette was visible through the room's small window. Clary noticed empty beds and then a golden haired somebody sitting on a chair just by her bed and then her books and bag by her feet.

Wait, what?

Jace? Jace Lightwood was here?

She stiffened, and then relaxed, noticing how he was fast asleep. Checking her watch told her that it was well past 1 thirty. Must be the reason why her stomach grumbled. She threw her head back down on the pillow, her bed creaking.

That was enough to wake Jace up.

His eyes immediately came to her and there was an intensity there that made her blush.

"Oh, good. You live." Jace said with half of a smile.

Clary found that he wasn't as much of an ass as Simon made him out to be – or as a 'prince' as half of the girls in the school saw him as.

"Yeah…Thanks," For carrying me all the way here. "Did you stay here long?" And she was hoping he would say no – that he just forgot that there were supposed to be in class at this time and he magically got himself lost and ended up in the nurses' office.

But he shrugged.

"I fell asleep an hour before lunch. Ugh, it's so stiff. Maybe this is why we all have beds." Jace got up and started to stretch, his shirt riding up to reveal smooth skin. Clary tried not to stare at it. "I'm starving. Are you good to walk?"

Clary nodded, flexing her toes.

"She needs to take it easy!" The nurse was suddenly in the room, two yellow slips in her hand. She handed one to Jace and then to Clary.

"To explain your absences. And you may get lunch," She added when Jace pointed out that they'd both missed it.

And five minutes after, they were walking – slowly – down the hall, Clary trying not to put too much pressure on her left leg. Jace just walked in silence, perfectly okay with their pace.

"I propose we get lunch in a deli somewhere. Food after lunch isn't food anymore," Jace made a face and then swung a set of keys around his fingers.

"Cut classes?" Clary frowned and Jace nodded a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Unless you're too hungry?" He asked, and Clary shook her head. Another glance at her watch told her that it was close to two. An hour and a half more to go until the end of classes.

But it was too late. They couldn't go back now. She finally noticed how they were not heading to the cafeteria or to their classes. They were heading to the parking lot.

"Hey!" Clary huffed and Jace paused, hand flat against the double doors that would lead them out. "We can't just cut class!"

"Sure we can." And he gave a push to the doors and stepped out. "You can come, or you can stay in class. I'll walk you, just to make sure you don't fall flat." He snickered and Clary was more annoyed than uncertain about their cutting of classes.

She followed him out to the parking lot and into the front seat of his car.

Point of no return.

"See? This isn't so bad, right?" Jace said after they he'd rolled the windows of the car down and the wind blew against their faces, whipping Clary's red hair back.

When he turned to look at her and smiled, Clary thought that no, it wasn't so bad. And that maybe she could miss one or two classes.

* * *

This is the start of a series of complicated events (where shit would hit the fan.) But before that, I have Magnus and Alec's strawberry date coming up!

If you found this painful (because you read this for Magnus/Alec), then please know that it was painful for me to write, too. It was hard trying to write these two. And I try to avoid their POVs at most. But this was needed.

Here, have a cookie.


	23. TGIF!

**Chapter 23: TGIF! **

Alec sat on the steps of the school, seeing the last of the students' car leave the parking lot. He saw Isabelle leave with Hodge, driving a different car. Not the same car they brought with them. Maybe she needed to prepare for her date. It was still rather early. And Jace? Why didn't she ride with Jace? Well, the car wasn't even in sight. Maybe he left early.

But didn't Isabelle say she would ride with Jonathan?

Alec just sighed.

Aside from Isabelle, Alec also saw Jonathan leave ten minutes after her and then a few more students followed. And then everybody had left, leaving him on the steps, looking at the empty parking lot. It was empty of most of the cars.

When a light tapping brought him back to his senses and made him look up, Alec tried not to jump. Instead, he stood up and then looked back up at Magnus Bane who stared him straight, those golden-green eyes lighting up with delight.

It was finally Friday. Magnus must have felt the same rush of excitement for the weekend as the students. Alec smiled a little bit shyly at him and Magnus bounded down the steps, his coat flapping behind him. Alec was vaguely reminded of his costume last Halloween.

Magnus crooked a finger when he reached his car and Alec's blush started once more.

"Come here, Blue Eyes," Magnus crooned, using the same name he'd associated with Alec before. "Everybody's in the faculty," He added when Alec stayed rooted on his spot.

It was only during lunch time that Magnus suggested they ride back to his place together. Alec didn't really have anything against that except that they might be seen. And thus the reason why they left after everybody else did.

He slipped into the front seat, suddenly feeling trapped in the car. Magnus leaned forward and then strapped his seatbelt for him, his fingers lightly brushing around his neck and then running down his thigh before they rested on the steering wheel.

When Alec shot him a look of shock, cheeks flaming, Magnus just responded with a sweet smile of his own, those eyes of his speaking of another thing.

"I love Fridays." Magnus said after they drove in silence for five minutes. Alec leaned his cheek against the window, the cold biting into his skin.

"Because it's the end of classes?" Alec asked lazily and Magnus shook his head. "Yeah? Then what?"

"Your first kiss happened on a Friday," Magnus passed a red light and then made a sharp turn. Alec felt his cheeks burn in a blush again. "With me, too," He added, that all too familiar smile on his face now.

Alec really did like it when Magnus smiled. There was a definite change to when he'd just look lazy, or bored. Or sexy. There was a light in his eyes when he genuinely smiled, when he was really happy. Truly happy. When his smiles weren't just sugar-candy, when they were from what he was truly feeling. There was a good change in his features when he smiled like that.

"Oh," Alec managed, "I remember."

Magnus hummed his okay and nodded, turning the music down.

* * *

Jace was sprawled on the couch now, flipping through different channels. It was five thirty. Isabelle had headed straight to her room when she arrived and emerged after an hour and then hailed a cab. So Jonathan wasn't even going to pick her up? Well, the sooner Isabelle decided that he was a jerk who didn't even bother to pick her up for their date the better.

"Your cat is blocking the fridge…" Clary's voice drifted from the kitchen. Oh, right. Clary was still around. He smiled a small smile to himself.

He didn't feel guilty that he'd dragged her out of school after they'd both woken up from their little collision in the nurse's office. And he had treated her to a late lunch. And then Clary had fallen asleep on the car and she had forgotten to give him her address. And thus, Jace decided that it was only for the better that he bring her to his house.

She was sleeping when Isabelle arrived and she hadn't even given her a second glance. Jace was worried again – what if it was a serious head injury? What if her ankle was still bothering her? But after a few minutes, she'd woken up and she looked so lost.

"Where am I?" Clary had asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"You're being held prisoner." Jace had said with a straight face, only a hint of sarcasm lacing his tone.

Clary frowned before she looked again. Five seconds after, it dawned on her that she was not at home and that she was in another person's house. Her green eyes widened at that realization and she turned them back on Jace.

"Welcome!" He said, arms spreading out in an overly dramatic and elaborate gesture.

Clary just sunk back into the couch and then watched as he couldn't settle on one channel before deciding she wanted to get something to drink.

* * *

Isabelle waited just outside the café, her phone gripped in her hand. She had never been stood up for a date. And she had never looked so pathetic in her life. Dressed so beautifully, ready to walk to runway, and she was sitting alone!

A waiter looked at her after thirty minutes of waiting and Isabelle just glared. No, she did not need pity or consoling from anybody else.

She would text Jace about Jonathan not arriving yet but then he would only put that against her – that her 'prince charming' stood her up. Or maybe he just didn't notice the time.

Isabelle brought her phone to her ear again, wanting Jonathan to just pick up. But he didn't. After three missed calls and five text messages, Isabelle was spent.

No, she would not run after a guy. Guys ran after her. She made advances. When she didn't like how they treated her then she could kick their ass to the next block.

Her phone finally buzzed and she leaned back on her chair. She would accept Jonathan's apology, of course. If he said he was going to be late for five minutes would be there soon then she could wait.

"Isabelle? I'm sorry, but something's come up." Jonathan said, and there was something in his tone that made one of her eyebrow's shoot up. "My sister, Clary, she's been missing since this morning,"

So maybe that was why he looked distracted.

Well, Clary was a big girl. Isabelle decided to tell him as much. But Jonathan didn't even buy it.

"Clary's at my place." Isabelle said after Jonathan said he'd be ending the call.

Clary really was at her place. She saw her sleeping on the couch. And Jace had brought her in. What really happened, she had no idea. But then if her brother just wanted to mess around with the poor girl then she had no care whatsoever. But if Jonathan was going to pull the overprotective brother card on her then he could kiss her shoes if he even looked forward to a second date.

Jonathan didn't say anything after a few moments which made Isabelle frown. "Hello?" She was irritated now. She got dressed up for nothing – but she always dressed up. But still. This was going to be hilarious in the morning. So hilarious she'd slap Jonathan in the middle of the hall for standing her up on Monday. Yeah, it was that hilarious.

She didn't even care if he showed up after five minutes because she was through with this supposed hot date.

* * *

Clary's phone started to ring and she reached for it. Jace grabbed it and passed it to her, his eyes not leaving the screen.

So Jace – the girls fawned over – was really into his television? Clary frowned a bit, feeling she had forgotten something. Maybe it was just the headache and the collision from earlier.

"Clary? Clary? Where are you?" Jonathan. Clary frowned and shifted in her seat.

"I'm at…" She trailed off and looked to Jace who gave her a glance. She raised both her eyebrows, asking for the address. But Jace just shrugged at her. "I'm at the Lightwood's house." There. She said it. He knew the Lightwoods. He was dating one of them.

"Are you with…Jace?" Jonathan's voice dropped. Clary gulped.

"Y-Yeah," Jace, noticing her unease, turned the volume down and then turned away from the screen to look at her.

"Clarissa," Jonathan said, and the use of her full name made her blood run cold. "You said you were going to be with Simon,"

What?

Wait.

Oh.

_Oh._

Oh. My. God.

She had a date with Simon! Clary made to stand but Jace's hand caught her by her shoulder. Easing her down, Clary tried to breathe. But that was what she had forgotten. She was supposed to walk home with Simon and then maybe grab some pizza, or pizza first and then walk home. She had totally forgotten about Simon.

"I'm coming," Jonathan breathed into the phone and then the line went dead, Clary's phone dropping from her fingers as everything dawned on her.

Simon. She had forgotten Simon. And it wasn't only because of the headache or of that accident in the morning. She could have called. But no. She turned her eyes back to Jace who had suddenly gotten closer to her.

It wasn't because of the accident. She couldn't blame it all on that. She couldn't even bring herself to blame Jace – Jace who had distracted her. She blamed herself.

"Jace, I'm sorry but – " But what? She had no idea what she was going to say next because Jace had closed the gap between them. He held her and she melted in his touch, her own fingers coming to wind around his neck.

And then he pulled away, those golden eyes inquiring, asking if he had done something he shouldn't have. Well, she had a boyfriend! Of course he had done something wrong.

"But what?" Jace's mouth tugged into a small smile. "Well, I'm sorry too, Clary," He didn't sound very sorry. But he did scoot a little away from her.

Clary couldn't believe it.

Did he just kiss her?

And did she just kiss him back, too?

Somewhere behind her, her phone started to buzz. Her voice mail was full, the robotic message said. Full? Of course. Simon must have called. And she hadn't even checked her phone.

But then there was a pounding on the door and Jace was getting up and Clary felt not only confused but hurt. Hurt because Jonathan thought she lied to him. Hurt because Simon was hurt, because she hadn't showed up. And hurt because she had kissed Jace. It hurt. Because she was with Simon. Kissing Jace wasn't like kissing Simon – it felt like she was burning up, that his flames would consume her and she was perfectly okay with it.

"Yes, she's here," Jace's voice drifted into the living room. Clary stiffened.

"What the hell, Morgenstern? This is my house, you asshole." She heard the sound of a body hitting the wall and then heard something break.

* * *

So this is where *bad* things start to happen. But not before their strawberry date. And it's coming in Chapter 24! :O


	24. Strawberries

**Chapter 24: Strawberries **

Alec brought both his feet up onto the couch, right after he kicked his shoes off. Magnus's place wasn't as freezing as the last time, nor was it burning up. It was…Just right. He smiled at that, even at the thought of Magnus trying to configure and adjust the temperature just so Alec wouldn't feel the slightest bit uncomfortable.

But it must be somewhat uncomfortable for him, right? Magnus lived in cool temperatures, that much he got. The man loved anything that might be frozen or that might hold resemblance to ice. But then that was probably just because he didn't have body-heat problem, unlike a certain Lightwood child. Alec sunk into the couch and just looked back at the large plasma screen TV.

There was something strange about Magnus's whole place, how it didn't have the vibe of a teacher. And Alec had no idea how he recorded the class's grades or came up with his quizzes because there was no sign of papers that might have come from school or anything a teacher might use or do. Maybe he did it all in school – just to make his house the true escape, have nothing related to school when he got home? Well, that wouldn't surprise Alec.

And he liked how there was nothing in this room that really was a giveaway of Magnus's profession. And profession might be too big a word. But still, he took what he could. And if not seeing traces of Magnus being a teacher was up on the plate, then he would take it. At least, for the night, it would make them both forget about what they truly were in the days.

It didn't bother Alec as much anymore, though. He thought it would be scary, and he thought it would be awkward but Magnus never even did anything to him in school – maybe a wink or two when nobody was looking and a kiss in the darkness of the auditorium, but that was it. The texts didn't count, of course.

Magnus himself did not want to be a hindrance to Alec's studies – the boy was a High Schooler, of course he should prioritize his studies more. He was a teacher (even if he didn't really call for that) so he should value the boy's education. Magnus didn't want to be a distraction – he wanted to be a good influence. He wanted to be the one to boost Alec up when he was done, wanted to be the one to hold his hand.

He also wanted to hold his hand in public and go on a date with him – they couldn't keep hiding in his place. But as it stands, it wasn't a very bad idea. But sooner or later, they had to go out. Magnus took a spoon and nodded his vow.

Alec would probably be squirmy at the thought of really going out with him in public. Maybe he cared too much about what people might think. But then again, what would they think? Would they see an old man walking hand in hand with his boyfriend – who was merely at eighteen? Alec did say he looked nineteen, his real age was far beyond that – at twenty two – but sure, if Alec saw him as such, then everybody else wouldn't even think twice about it.

Then there was the prospect of somebody noticing them, of somebody recognizing them. A student and a teacher from The Blessed Angels Academy. Scandalous. That just gave Magnus the most brilliant plan – an outing outside the city. He could borrow Alec for a day or two and they would fly off or drive away somewhere nobody would even notice them.

And then Magnus could live out two days of playing his perfect lovey-dovey boyfriend fantasy with the most gorgeous Alec Lightwood. He sighed at the thought. And he also tapped a spoon non-too-gently on his head at the thought of being a love-struck teenager. He wasn't love-struck, and he was most certainly not a teenager. It just didn't equate.

"Chairman Meow is hungry." Alec called from the living room. Magnus's fingers locked around the chocolate syrup and he looked over his shoulder to see Alec looking at him. Magnus resisted the strong urge to drop the chocolate and just cuddle with Alec all night. There was something very cuddly about the boy. Maybe it was his boyish innocence that attracted Magnus even more. He was sweet, and sometimes unaware of his sweetness.

"Are you worried?" Magnus managed to call from his place in the kitchen. He took a plate and then a fork.

"Do you even feed him?"

"Of course. But that's not my priority tonight," Magnus took the plate filled with strawberries as well as the bowl with the chocolate.

Alec watched as he set it down on the little table. "Then what's more important than feeding your starving cat?"

"Feeding my strawberry obsessed boyfriend. Who is much better company than a cat that won't shut up in the early hours of the morning," And Magnus all but threw himself to the couch, landing lightly beside Alec. He grabbed at the boy's shirt and curled his fingers there, his cheek nuzzling Alec's. Ahhh, sweet, sweet warmth.

Alec hadn't responded to the touch, probably just shocked at how much Magnus could resemble his cat at times.

But after a few seconds, Alec smiled into the cuddle and Magnus closed his eyes, liking how everything was perfect for the night.

"I'm not obsessed." Alec finally said once Magnus lifted his head from his shoulder.

Magnus raised an eyebrow and reached for the plate and took a single strawberry. He dangled it in front of Alec's face and saw how his eyes trained on the fruit.

"You taste like strawberries most of the time. And I could have sworn that either your hair or your skin smelled of strawberries," Alec blushed – probably because he realized Magnus had been sniffing him. Magnus just chuckled.

"Don't tell me your soap and shampoo is strawberry flavoured, too?" Alec shook his head, fighting down a blush. His hands came to Magnus's chest and he pushed. Magnus pouted, not liking how Alec felt all defensive about his obsessive love for strawberries.

But instead of clinging, he just popped the fruit into his mouth and then smiled, biting down on the strawberry.

Alec watched as he chewed on the fruit and Magnus made an elaborate gesture to lick his lips afterward. Alec blinked.

"So you're okay if I eat all this myself?" Magnus purred, hand reaching out for another.

"I'm hungry." Alec replied, frowning. "And you said you were going to…Feed me,"

"True. But I have proper food for a growing boy like you."

"You said you didn't like strawberries,"

"I like kissing you. And if you were going to taste like that, then I thought I'd give them a shot. Guess what, they're…Not too bad," And to put much emphasis on that, he popped the second strawberry into his mouth, Alec's eyes trying not to focus too much on it.

"But-" Alec protested, his fingers twitching.

Nah-uh. If he wanted strawberries then the first step was to admit he was obsessed with them.

"They're healthy for you." Alec said, and Magnus just leaned back on the couch, looking at Alec lazily now.

"So are bananas. But I don't see you tasting of bananas. Or apples. And too much of one thing isn't healthy anymore,"

"Strawberries are good. And healthy."

"And you shower with them and breathe them and eat them every day. Are your sheets made out of strawberries, too?"

Alec's blush was more pronounced now.

"Magnus-"

"Just say please, baby." Magnus leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly against Alec's cheek. He heard him sigh, but if he expected a kiss then he was badly mistaken. Magnus pulled back again and then raised another strawberry, holding it between two fingers.

"Please?" Alec wasn't sure, because his eyes were clouded, his brows furrowed. "Really?"

"Fine, I'll get you a pie." Magnus made to stand but Alec's fingers encircled his wrist and brought him down. He was looking at him rather shyly now, and Magnus felt a little bad for torturing him.

But this was strawberries, dear god. He could just say he wanted one now – please – and then admit to being overly obsessed with them. Maybe he wasn't used to pleading.

"Can I please just have a strawberry?" Alec asked, and his hold around his wrist loosened. Magnus lowered his lashes and watched as Alec tried to stare back at him. Adorable.

"Hmm?"

"Magnus, please?"

"What?"

Okay, who said anything about making it easy?

"Okay, fine. Strawberries is what shoes are to Izzy."

Magnus smiled now and then popped the smaller-than-average-strawberry into his mouth, but not before he dipped it in chocolate. Strawberry dipped in chocolate was amazing, he realized. And he was kind of sad that he hadn't tasted the fruit out before. It wasn't bad, really.

Alec's eyes widened and he frowned. "But I already-"

Magnus hooked a finger on Alec's collar and then brought him forward, smiling all the while. Alec squirmed, probably not wanting to be in contact with somebody who refused him his strawberries. But then Magnus's lips were brushing against his, and the touch prickled his body and made him gasp. Magnus took the parted lips as an opportunity and then curled the strawberry around his tongue.

Alec's eyes fluttered to a close, tasting strawberry now. Magnus was pleased to hear a moan escape from his lips and Alec was just thrilled by the kiss – and the passing of strawberry and chocolate between them. When Alec twined his fingers in Magnus's hair and Magnus leaned forward into the kiss, his arms around him, Alec felt that there was no other thing in the world that could compare to kissing Magnus Bane.

He might be a total tease and made fun of his love for the strawberries but Magnus was still a good person. And when they kissed, Alec felt like he was on top of the world. That nothing could go wrong from here on out, that everything was fine. It filled him with a tingly kind of warmth that ran through his body.

When his phone rang behind him, Magnus pulled on his shirt, not wanting to break the kiss. Alec was okay with that. They could call again. Surely nothing could go wrong – this felt like a little piece of Heaven.

His phone rang again and they both broke apart, his lips looking swollen while Magnus looked a little flushed from the long kiss. Instead of leaning back to allow Alec his call, he draped an arm across the boy's shoulder and then just nuzzled at his side, curled against him, just liking the warmth and the feel of Alec close, as well as his smell.

Alec tried not to shudder at the kisses Magnus was leaving on the insides of his palm, the kisses that ran up to his arm and then to his neck.

He tried to focus on the call, the phone now against his ear, opening his mouth to answer Isabelle.

_"Alec, I need you."_

* * *

This chapter is by far my favorite. Yeahhh. See? I promised a strawberry date. Here it is! I expect cookies! Or reviews...They're like little pieces of heaven.


	25. We R Monsters

**Chapter 24: We R Monsters**

"You sick bastard!" Isabelle screamed, fingers curling into her palm. She pointed a finger straight at Jonathan Morgenstern, whose own knuckles were bloodied. "How could you!"

Isabelle was never the type to really blow a fuse. And when she did, well, it was always going to be the end of the world. And she never lost her cool a lot of times in her life. She might get pissed, but never seriously pissed where she just wants to wring your neck and throw you off a bridge. No, never that kind of pissed. This anger that ran through her now, it was different from the everyday anger that Jace gave her.

Jace pissed her off sometimes, but beneath those squabbles, there was sibling love. This didn't have sibling love to back it up. This was pure anger. Her vision was tinted a bloody red.

Her bag slung in her other hand as she headed for Jonathan, who didn't look very affected by what was happening.

"You do not beat my brother up!" Isabelle screamed, finally getting to him. She threw her hand across his face for a slap but he grabbed her wrist and then yanked her to the side. Isabelle gasped, the pain shooting up her arm. "You goddamn asshole," She hissed, the jolt of pain making her head ache.

"_How could you_!" Her voice cracked and Jonathan unwrapped his fingers around her wrist and pushed her harshly to the ground.

"I did what was needed of an older brother," Jonathan said with a distasteful look. "I'm sorry I'm late for our date. Would you still want to have dinner?" His lips curled into the sickest of smiles and Isabelle's eyes widened.

He was crazy.

Jonathan Morgenstern was a psychopath.

And Jace might call her a psychopath in the kitchen, but this was different. Jonathan beat Jace up! What the hell. Who did that?

She felt blood well around the fingers that she dug into her skin and then closed her eyes.

"You're sick. You're sick and disgusting. You're…All kinds of wrong," Isabelle sounded calmer now, not a screaming mess as she had been earlier. The pain in her arm was a total bitch. And somewhere inside the house, Jace was knocked out.

Isabelle suddenly felt like a child. And she was vaguely relieved of Max and Hodge being out for their usual 'plant study' with Madeleine. She didn't want them around when Jonathan sought Jace out. When he beat her brother up. And she didn't want anyone to see her now – broken and defeated.

She was supposed to be strong! Never breaking! Never bending. She was supposed to protect her brothers, her family. Even when they didn't want it. She was supposed to be a bitch to other people just to make her family feel good. But now here she was with a twisted arm, her tears ruining her makeup.

Hatred boiled within her at the sight of Jonathan.

"You're disgusting!" Isabelle's voice rose again and something dangerous and scary flashed in Jonathan's eyes.

"I am not." He said very slowly, but his breathing came out ragged. As if he was holding himself back.

She wanted to throw him down the damn road and then run her over again and again until every damned bone in his body was turned to ash. Pulverized.

"You don't understand. You've never loved a sibling," Jonathan turned around then, and he looked back down at her as he reached the door. Was he thinking of offering her his hand? Because if he so much as came to her then she would stab him with the nearest sharp object. Whatever it was going to be. Or bite his hand off. But he didn't. He just walked off, leaving Isabelle with a new kind of hate in her.

How dare he.

How dare he even assume that she never loved a sibling! What the hell was she doing for Jace and Alec? For Max? She loved her little brother and those two other idiots. She loved them!

He had a sick definition of love. What he was doing to Clary…It was wrong. It was all kinds of wrong. But when the hate for Jonathan blossomed, there was a distrust that inhabited her – distrust for Clary. She was related to that monster.

And that monster had beaten her brother up. Nothing…Nothing would ever let her forget. Nothing would ever help.

She tried to stand up and leaned against the wall, her head still throbbing.

She needed her big brother. She needed Alec. Biting on her lip and finding the strength to grip her phone and dial Alec's number, Isabelle breathed in.

Jonathan was wrong about her not loving her brothers. He probably even thought that her siblings had no love for her, that they were all just in this for the hell of it. But they were a family. The Lightwoods were a family.

And she only needed to say those four words and Alec would come running, would probably slam Jonathan against the nearest wall and throw him into the deepest pit he could find. Make sure he never came back. Never showed his ugly face again.

"_Alec, I need you." _

* * *

Short chapter is short. But I have like a lot of Malec/Alec up ahead! So just give me my cookie and review.

No, I am not gonna play 'next-chapter-hostage' because, as you all know, I update really fast. So yeahhh.


	26. Big Brother

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Here you go! Chapter 26! I can't believe I'm still writing for this story. But it's fun. :)

**DISCLAIMER: **The Mortal Instruments Characters are owned by miss Cassie Clare. I only own this fanfic. If I can even own that.

* * *

**Chapter 26: Big Brother**

Alec was grabbing his coat the second the call ended – and the call didn't even last for very long. Isabelle. Isabelle was in trouble. And he didn't even know where she was. He tried to call for Jace, but nothing. He tried to phone their house, but nothing, still. Could it be that both of them had encountered an accident? Alec's stomach dropped at the thought.

Magnus was beside him, one hand on the hand that still held his phone. Alec tried not to jerk back. There was an emergency.

"Magnus, I need to go." Alec said, and Magnus grabbed his coat. "Magnus,"

"Alec, you don't have a ride. We'll get there faster," He jingled his keys in one hand and opened the door, and Alec was surprised and shocked for a moment. Magnus was offering to help, not so much as asking what had happened but jumping to the rescue. Alec was relieved.

When they got to the car and Magnus was backing out, Alec tried to call for Isabelle again. This time, she took the call, but didn't answer. In the background he could hear a cat. A cat! Was it Church? So she was at home! But she wasn't answering, and it worried him. Worried him even more.

"I think she's home," Alec said, and Magnus nodded, eyes fixed on the road.

"She said she needed my help." Alec went on, even without Magnus asking. Magnus nodded, and his eyes softened. He wanted to reach for Alec's hand in the darkness and give it a reassuring squeeze and tell him that it would be okay, but Magnus knew that he couldn't give false reassurances, not until he saw the damage, or until they both found out about the problem.

"Jace isn't answering his phone, and neither is Isabelle. Nobody's answering the house phone, too." Alec tried to hold it together. He was the big brother. This was why he was the responsible one, why he was the one to pick after his siblings. He closed his eyes and finally, Magnus took his hand.

Alec thought that driving with one hand could be hard, and if it was, well, Magnus didn't show any signs of it. He looked at Alec and gave him a smile, a smile that said all the things Alec really couldn't say. A smile that said that he would help, even if it was just for the ride. And Alec knew, really knew, that Magnus was helping – and the car ride was only one of them.

* * *

Jace tried to sit up.

And then wish he didn't.

Stars burst into his vision and he felt his head start to swim. Had he hit the wall too hard? Did he fall down and break too many bones? He hissed at the pain but managed to stand up. Jonathan Morgenstern was a bastard. Jace spat out blood and he staggered towards the front door, sure he had heard screams earlier.

Could it have been Clary? Had Jonathan hurt her? But he had thrown her out of the room the moment he got there. Clary had tried to get between them, pleading with her brother, but it didn't get her far. Jonathan dragged her away, locking her outside the house to deal with Jace. And Jace could deal with him. But Jonathan, he had to admit, was bigger than him and punched harder.

He tried not to grind his teeth – he was sure his jaw would protest at that. And his entire body was screaming at him to lie down or else it'll shut off and he'd faint, but he kept on, wanting to make sure if Jonathan was still around and if he was then he'd kick his ass out of the house – even if it meant lifting a leg that pained him too much.

But instead of the familiar red hair, he saw an even familiar mass of dark hair. Crumpled and on the ground. Forgetting about the throbbing pain in his head and how standing up made him want to throw up and how his legs would give in and how he spat out blood again, Jace came running to Isabelle's side – as fast as his running went, anyway.

He stopped by her side and lifted her up to his legs, her head on his lap. She didn't look hurt, but the way her wrist looked red only meant that Jonathan did touch his sister.

And it was the sort of touching that drove Jace back to his feet, his fingers curling into his palm. Isabelle, noticing Jace's movements now, shot up a hand and then pulled him to the ground. A little part of Jace was thankful for that – he felt like he was going to black out the moment he stood up too fast.

"Are you okay?" Isabelle said, and the sarcasm they associated with each other was gone – her tone stripped of any bitterness. There was only concern, and Jace, with a pang of relief and of hurt, noticed how her mascara ran and how the tears had not quite dried.

Isabelle who never cried. Who was the last to show hurt. Who could throw a guy all the way to the next city had cried. And whether it was because she was worried about him or because Jonathan had hurt her, Jace didn't really care. All he cared about was Isabelle had been in pain – was still in pain – and had cried.

"I'm fine." Jace said, voice rough.

Isabelle looked at him from where she lay and closed her eyes.

"Jace," She started to get up, and instead of push her back down to lie some more, Jace helped her sit up. "Just tell me how bad it is."

And she knew he was lying. But was it even necessary? Did he even need to try to hide the pain – the physical pain – just because he was beaten up? Because somebody had gotten the upper-hand? And it wasn't like he was the only one hurting. It wasn't like he was the only one who had been deceived.

Jonathan. Jonathan that god damn bastard.

The next time she saw him would be too soon. She wouldn't even think if the hate that boiled up in her could be dosed. He had hurt her brother, and Jace, being the idiot that he was, would still not admit to the pain.

"'S not so bad…" Jace said and coughed. Even the cough made his body shudder, and he felt pain shoot from his ribs and then down to his feet. Was he that much of a mess? Isabelle touched his forehead and he winced. When she drew back, he noticed the blood.

Yeah, he was a horrifying mess.

* * *

"Jonathan! Jonathan!" Clary yelled as soon as Jonathan slammed the car door shut and drove like the maniac he was. Clary closed her eyes, the tears coming.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Jace wasn't supposed to get hurt.

"Jace…Jace didn't do anything," Clary said, and Jonathan spared her a glance. His eyes burned, and Clary just looked away.

This was all her fault. She was at fault here. If she hadn't agreed to get a late lunch with Jace and just went back to her classes, then maybe he wouldn't have ended up hurt. She would be with Simon, and she wouldn't even have to kiss him.

But it all happened, and Jonathan had felt like he needed to protect her.

It wasn't so bad when she was with Simon. But when it came to Jace, Jonathan did feel like he needed to get his sister away from him. That was always the case. Simon was an exception because Simon couldn't hurt his sister like someone like Jace could. Jace Lightwood – The Golden Boy, the boy who killed dozens with his smile, who could break hearts. Who never bothered with a proper girl-friend because he was too good for any of the girls in TBA.

He was the type to hurt his little sister. Simon was not.

Jonathan walked into the house, Clary following. She noticed how her father's car was parked outside, and that he was home. She tried not to cry, lest he saw her.

She also tried not to scream at Jonathan. Not to call him a monster. He was a monster. A monster for playing with her own feelings – he would be sweet at times, and then he would turn into somebody she didn't even recognize if things didn't go his way.

"Stay away from me!" Clary said, and she shoved him away. Jonathan had approached her, and Clary's only response was to push him away.

She ran up the stairs and into her room, Jonathan following behind her.

Her fingers curled around the knob and she looked up at her older brother.

"I want you out of my life. I don't want you anymore _big brother._" Clary said, venom lacing her every word. "And I mean it this time. I want to live with Luke again," And Clary turned around, brushing Jonathan's cold hand off her shoulder and slamming the door in his face and locking it before she slid to the ground, her head buried in her hands, her phone buzzing in her pocket.

If she checked, then she would know that it was Jace – that Jace just wanted to know if she was okay. And then if she had picked it up, then she would have heard Isabelle screaming in the background, shrieking at him for calling her – her, of all people. Whose older brother had knocked him out.


	27. Aftershock

**Chapter 27: Aftershock**

Alec swiped at the wall with a wet cloth, hoping nobody would notice the stains. He also went to sweep the carpet. When he heard a shriek from the living room, though, he cringed. He heard the slamming of a door and then a honk of a car. Oh, great. So Hodge, Madeleine and Max were back.

It was only a relief that Jace and Isabelle had left for the hospital. Isabelle didn't break anything, maybe she twisted something, but it was Jace they were all worried about. Jace who didn't even say anything when Alec arrived, who just looked at him and then up at Magnus, not even surprise or shock or pain registering in his face.

It scared Alec.

How vacant and blank Jace looked. As if, to hide the pain, all he needed to do was shut everything down and just be a blank piece of paper. He didn't object when Magnus ushered him into the car, telling him that they were to go to the hospital to get the two of them checked. Isabelle would have dragged him if he objected, but she didn't, and in Jace's condition, he was even lucky to even walk with a limp.

And Alec was supposed to be the one with his siblings.

"Somebody needs to clean up," Magnus had said while they both stood at the front door.

"We can do that after we get back from the hospital," Alec's jaw was set and he tried not to shoot Isabelle a look. But his sister was looking at the other side, seated in the back of the car with Jace whose golden head leaned against the window, whose eyes were still glazed over. His lip was bleeding, too.

"If Max gets back and sees the whole house in a mess, then what?" Alec had given up at that point and Magnus had told them that it was only good that it was he who would drive them to the hospital. Nobody would ask about their parents because he was an adult himself.

Sometimes, Alec forgot that Magnus was an adult. Alec, technically, was sort of an adult already, too. But he let them go and resolved to clean up, starting with sweeping the carpet and then trying to remove the stains on the walls.

What he had forgotten, though, was the broken vase. And that was what had caused Madeleine's scream.

Max ran into the room then, looking around, his glasses askew. Madeleine had a hand against her heart and Hodge stepped into view. Alec groaned.

"Alexander!" Madeleine was on the verge of collapsing – their mother's china! Broken! Oh god that was the worst thing that could happen. And Maryse would have her head!

Alec tried not to snort. Of course, the china would always be the first problem. But they had all decided to retell the story to no one. That nobody should know. Jace had it in him to argue for a while.

_"We have to tell mom and dad," Alec had said and Jace looked at him, the look in his eyes far away._

_"No. We don't," _

And Alec had a feeling that he would get back at Jonathan, and that would only make things works. Magnus tried a more tactical approach, that they could report this to the school administrator. But then Isabelle pointed out that the beating didn't happen in school and that it happened in their house. So maybe that ruled things out a bit.

But if it meant that Jonathan would be restrained from the Lightwoods, then it was something. Jace didn't want that, though. He wanted blood. He wanted Jonathan's jaw to crack under his knuckles, wanted Jonathan to break more than just a rib bone. He wanted his face crushed against the nearest rock surface and Isabelle wanted to run him through with her car.

Alec just wanted him away from his family.

He sighed.

* * *

Isabelle tried not to wince when Jace emerged from the emergency room. He was all wrapped up. And for once in his life, her adoptive brother looked adorable.

"You look cute, all wrapped up like that." Jace managed to give her a glare.

"Shut up. I'll break your wrist." Jace shot back and just like that, the two of them were back into their usual sibling squabbles.

But she did step into his little circle and then gently wrapped her arms around him, drawing him closer to her. She smelled antiseptic and the faintest hint of blood.

"I'm…Relieved, Jace," Isabelle said, pulling away. They weren't used to strong sibling affections. But they did love each other.

She smiled and Jace returned it with a smirk.

"I'll get him back." Jace said, talking under his breath now as Magnus Bane came into focus, looking like he was singing a lot of papers. Great, paper work for the teenagers that got themselves bloodied up.

"He could have really hurt you, Izz." Jace was still saying and Isabelle looked at her own wrists. They didn't look so bad – and maybe that was because it was wrapped in gauze. But they ached a bit.

"And that's what he did to you. Just rest for a while, okay?" Isabelle started to walk towards Magnus who waved at them; the glitter in his hair looking like it was going to die out soon. She felt sort of sorry for dragging him along. And also felt a little bad. What would Jace think about Magnus? He did arrive with Alec. But if he had any objections, or thought of anything that might lead to the 'scandalous' affair they had, then he didn't say anything.

Just before they reached Magnus, Isabelle looked at Jace.

"Stay away from Clary," Isabelle told him, and she noticed how unease flashed in his eyes. "It's her fault. Jonathan is a total maniac, Jace. Just…Stay away from both of them."

And Jace couldn't even argue with her because Magnus was already swooping down, tsk tsk tsking about their bandages and just sighing because they were both fine for the mean time.

"Now the next obstacle is getting you back into the house without anybody noticing the limp and all the bandages," Magnus said and Isabelle smiled up at him, truly grateful.

She wasn't wrong about Magnus Bane. He was pretty cool. And when they all got back into the car, Isabelle decided that he was pretty good for Alec. She had accepted their relationship, but had feared, somewhere, that he would only play with her brother. But he was concerned – concerned for her and Jace just because Alec was worried. And that was a-okay for Isabelle.

Magnus Bane was cool.

* * *

After explaining how Jace had staggered home and accidentally knocked the vase over, Alec was already free while Madeleine fussed over the broken china. She could replace it anyway.

He was in bed, eyes not closed and staring at the ceiling, when he heard hushed voices from outside his room. And he could see their silhouette from the crack in his door. He heard doors open and then close and connected that it was Jace and Isabelle who were finally back. He wanted to check on them, wanted to see if they needed any help, but the voice in his head told him to give them time to breathe.

And not only was it the voice in his head that spoke and kept him in his own bed, but also his doorknob. It started to turn and he squinted in the darkness, trying to figure out the tall figure that just slipped into his room. Alec leaned to flick his lamp on and tried not to gasp out a surprise as Magnus slid his coat off.

He looked exhausted. His yawn proved as much. And his hair – that had been spiky earlier – sagged.

"They had me sign a lot of papers at the hospital," Magnus managed to get out, dropping his phone and keys and wallet on the table. He tried not to stagger when he walked and stopped short in front of Alec's bed.

Alec just looked at him with eyes wide.

"And the traffic is intense. Who'd had thought that midnight would have lessened the traffic?" Magnus continued to murmur, a tired smile on his face. Alec lifted the comforter off of him and Magnus sighed, holding his table for support.

"I know I shouldn't be here. I mean, I shouldn't even have gotten out of the car."

"Sit down, please." Alec called to him, getting out of bed. Magnus, with half-lidded eyes, watched him as he rounded the bed and then stood in front of him.

He looked shy, as if unsure of what to do of a tired and drained Magnus Bane. In his bed room. With the door locked. Oh god.

When Magnus didn't move, Alec's finger brushed his palm and then enclosed on it, tugging him to the bed. He pushed Magnus to sit down and the man had no objections. He fell on his back, hair splaying out and a sigh escaping his lips.

"Magnus?" Alec murmured, but Magnus was already turning on his side, curling. Alec, with vogue interest, noticed how his shoes were off the moment he'd landed on the bed. Magnus had a way of moving fast.

"Just a minute," And Magnus would have never really insisted on invading Alec's privacy like this. Maybe if he was horribly drunk, but then Alec had never encountered a horribly drunk Magnus. He was just tired for the night.

And with that, Alec climbed back into the bed and pulled the covers up – but not before he wrapped Magnus underneath the covers, too.

But Magnus's eyes opened at the feel of Alec close and how they were now under a blanket.

"I need to go." Magnus said, suddenly alert. He was worried about how Alec might fare, not because he wasn't comfortable. He didn't want it to seem like he was forcing Alec to share a bed with him. But Alec's fingers caught on his shirt and Magnus relaxed.

"Is this okay?" Magnus asked. He looked to his side to see that Alec's eyes were closed. Not good. If Alec was uncomfortable then he was ready to jump out of bed and climb out the window.

Finally, Alec's eyes opened. And in the darkness – with the lamp now off – Magnus could still see the pale blues. He felt a smile tugging up just at the sight of his eyes.

"You're tired," Alec murmured, his lashes grazing his cheeks. "You should just lie down."

Magnus nodded and leaned forward, brushing noses against Alec's in what was only an Eskimo kiss. Alec let out a sigh – a sigh that made his body relax, that made the fingers that still took hold of Magnus's shirt loosen.

When Magnus placed a soft kiss on his lips, he kissed back and his eyes fluttered to a close. It wasn't as deep as their kiss back at Magnus's place, but it was sweet and soft, and when Magnus pulled away and yawned, he found that he had curled closer to him.

Magnus left light kisses against his cheek and on his neck before nuzzling back into him.

And then he relaxed, his breathing even, his hand – thrown around Alec – loosening its hold. Magnus had fallen asleep.

Alec looked at him for a few minutes, his eyes following Magnus's smooth face, the curve of his lips and his eyelashes. His eyebrows and even to the glitter that still remained. He also ran a finger down his cheek and then pushed his hair out of his eyes. Magnus looked…Beautiful. He looked so in peace, so calm and just so deep into sleep that Alec felt all his reserve about being in bed with his boyfriend leave him then.

It was…Nice. And the extra body heat was comforting.

* * *

Magnus and Alec sleeping together. As in...Just gonna sleep. In the same bed.

And yes, I am totally aware that Magnus Bane would have a better bed, a bigger bed and all that but think of the advantages of Alec's bed: It's not so big. Meaning...They have to squeeze in. Okay? Okayyy!

Review, please! It makes my day when I read all the good comments.


	28. Sunshine to my Morning

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **THE MORNING AFTER! :D Yayyy~. I like how they have this childlike innocence. Well, at least, that's most of my writing, anyway. Childlike-Innocence.

* * *

**Chapter 28: Sunshine to My Morning**

Magnus woke up with an aching back. He closed his eyes shut again, his fingers clamping on the blanket. Strange…His sheets were linen. He must've changed them the day before. Turning to lie on his back he finally pinpointed the main cause to his pain– lying down on his side would do such a thing to someone his age. Ha, insert mocking laughter there.

When he reached a hand out to wipe at his eyes, he almost fell over.

What the hell?

His bed was big enough for three people!

Eyes still closed, he reached behind him to feel for his headboard. Nothing.

Okay, slowly, Bane. Just breathe and don't panic.

Well, he kind of panicked. Because if he was in a foreign bed with somebody else – and he could hear the steady breathing, could even feel toes brush against his – he was dead. Dead because he was in bed with someone else when he was supposed to be exclusive to Alec Lightwood.

He was screwed.

Very bad.

And he didn't even care if whoever was on that other side was Orlando Bloom or whoever because his blue-eyed wonder would still kill him. Okay, no, Alec wasn't that type. Alec would just shut down and never trust him even if he did insist that he couldn't remember a thing from last night. But it would hurt Alec and he would never trust him and maybe a punch would feel better than Alec hurting and distrusting him.

He finally opened his eyes, his thoughts swimming. What had happened last night? He remembered the strawberries. The oh so hot strawberries…and he remembered an emergency call. And now that he had his eyes open, he noticed how his pants were still on and his coat and shirt off. Okay, that was good. So he hadn't been in bed with anybody he shouldn't be.

But he was still in bed. Even if they didn't sleep together and nothing technically happened he still climbed on some stranger's bed and Alec would kill him and –

"Did I wake you?" A familiar voice asked, and the bed shifted as he shifted, too.

Magnus breathed a sigh of relief.

And then he remembered. He remembered how he drove Alec back home, how he drove Jace and Isabelle to the hospital and how he almost passed out and was just too damn tired to drive back home. Also how Alec pulled him into bed to stay and just rest and sleep. And he had done that.

"Alec?" Magnus breathed, relaxing. "Should I be in your bed?"

"You were tired." Alec pointed out, rubbing at his eyes.

See? Magnus Bane was not in some stranger's bed! He was in his boyfriend's bed and oh dear god he was in Alec Lightwood's bed. Which was not good. Because Alec had his own reservations and boundaries and Alec was shy – cute and shy little Alec. But instead of panicking and jumping out of bed, he just turned to his side.

He was met with the most beautiful set of eyes ever. And his pale eyes looked a deeper and darker blue in the morning. Magnus wasn't against waking up to those eyes any day.

"Good morning then." He smiled and Alec stared, probably realizing that Magnus was half-naked and in his bed.

But he didn't push Magnus. That was a good thing.

"Good morning." His breath caught and Magnus pushed the blanket off of him and sat up in bed. Alec followed, his blush in full effect so early in the morning.

"Sorry, I don't really sleep with a shirt I've worn for the whole day," Or with a shirt. But he didn't want Alec to know about that little bit…Yet. Or how he slept without anything most of the time.

"Thanks for last night." Alec said, not really looking at him now. Okay, so this was bad. If Alec really was uncomfortable then he should have said so last night. He could have found the energy to drive back home. But he looked like he slept well.

Magnus, unconsciously, reached a hand out and tangled his fingers in Alec's hair, pulling at the knots. Bed hair. Sexy bed hair. Sexy and adorable bed hair. Alec Lightwood would be the death of him. He really should stop swooning like this.

"No, thank you." Magnus purred, his fingers working the knots out of Alec's hair. The boy winced and Magnus smoothed his hair back, sitting closer to Alec now.

Alec just looked at him as he did so, his own hands clenched to his side. Was he trying not to push Magnus back? Or was he trying not to grab hold of him? Magnus liked the second one more.

"Thank you for sharing your bed." Finally pulling his hand back from the mess of a bush that was Alec's hair, Magnus brushed his lips against Alec's forehead in a feather light kiss and pulled away.

"You were really tired," Alec said, his cheeks red. "I was worried you couldn't make it home,"

Magnus just nodded with a little hum. True, he probably would've ended up passed out somewhere. Nah, he would have totally gotten home.

"Your bed is small," And he stretched out, feeling a few bones crack. Alec just watched as the waist band of his jeans ran down, exposing his hip even more. Really? Did Alec fancy low-hugging jeans? Magnus had a dozen of those.

"You're just too big," Magnus made a sound of protest at being called enormous but Alec slapped his hand playfully when he brought it to his chest. "You're so tall,"

"Of course I am, darling. You're just the perfect size, though," Alec tensed when Magnus had a knuckle underneath his chin. He nudged it up making Alec look directly at him now.

"Should I put on a shirt? Is it uncomfortable?" He asked and he saw the blush recede the slightest bit.

Alec shook his head and very slowly, he lifted both arms up to lock around Magnus's neck. Magnus, the touch an electrifying sense, nuzzled into it, his cheek brushing against Alec's.

"A bit disorienting," Alec admitted with a shy smile.

Cute and shy Alec.

"So it's okay that you have me in bed?" Magnus murmured, close to his ears.

"It's not like…" Alec trailed off and Magnus's lips pressed against the space just at the bottom of his ear.

"We just slept," Magnus murmured, his eyes dropping to a close. "In the same bed. Nothing happened."

He felt Alec shiver and Magnus remembered the boy's poor body heat problem. But he just smiled against Alec's neck and then wrapped his own – longer – arms around the boy, bringing them even closer.

"I need to really give you my thanks. Your bed is better than a cold floor,"

Alec gulped. "Yeah? How?"

"Whatever way you want. Or I can pick the mode of thanks."

"You're welcome."

"But darling, I haven't even thanked you yet."

Magnus bent his head to kiss Alec on the tip of his nose and Alec smiled against that kiss. See? He was warming up to the idea of Magnus being in the same bed as him. Granted that when Magnus had this image in mind he always thought that it was going to be his bed first. Well, whatever. As long as it was a bed.

Alec, in turn, lifted his head up and kissed Magnus on the mouth.

A sweet kiss shared in the morning. Magnus really could get used to this. And he actually didn't want the kiss to end – it was sweet and drawn out but still amazing. Alec's kisses were shy, but then when he got passed that wall then they were sweet and soft and…Electrifying.

But heavy knocking on the door made them both break apart – Alec with a little jump.

"Alec! I need to take Jace back to the hospital. For a check-up. He's too proud to admit that his ribs are causing him more pain,"

Alec groaned and looked at Magnus. Hadn't they dealt with that in the hospital?

"And?" Alec called while Magnus played with his hair.

Magnus, really, could not keep his hands to himself when it came to Alec. The boy was just so…Touchable. In a very cute and innocent way, of course. As innocent as he, Magnus Bane, could be, anyway.

"We need a ride." Isabelle went on. Magnus heard the toe of a boot scrape against the door. They really should get that door…Or else Isabelle wouldn't leave them alone.

"Ask Hodge to drive you over." Alec said.

"And he'll tell mom and dad about Jace. Great."

"Use Jace's car."

"He won't hand the keys over."

"Wrestle it from him."

"Alec, I am beyond man-handling a physically injured little boy. And I might hit a rib and he might not be able to breathe. We don't want that, do we?"

"Then what? You're not saying you're going to walk to the hospital all the while dragging Jace, are you?"

Isabelle snorted.

She had attitude early in the morning, Magnus noted. As early as nine A.M was, anyway. It was a Saturday.

"I'm saying...Wait, why am I even talking to you?" Magnus could see Isabelle throwing her hands in the air while she aimed another kick at the door. "Magnus!" She called.

Alec stiffened.

There, there, poor baby.

Magnus shifted on the bed but let his hand rest on top of Alec's other hand. Well, it was no secret anymore, was it? And besides, his car was parked outside. Isabelle - and Jace – could connect one and two together. The housekeepers might probably just think that it was the neighbour's new car.

"That's Mister Bane to you," Magnus squeezed Alec's hand and stood up, walking towards the table where he'd deposited his belongings.

He cracked the door open, just enough for him to see Isabelle. She didn't look much like a mess. She didn't look ready for a fashion show, either. But it was just last night taking a toll on everyone.

She did, however, look impressed to see him without a shirt on. He snapped her attention back to the keys in his hand.

"Did I interrupt something?" Isabelle said, not really regretting it if she did.

"I can see that this won't be the last that you will." Magnus sighed as Isabelle grabbed for the key.

"Thanks, Magnus," She said again with an all too evil-that-she-is giggle.

"What did I just say?" But Magnus didn't really care what she called him anymore. Isabelle Lightwood was a different case. As was her brother.

"You can't expect me to call you 'mister' when I know you're sleeping with my brother." She raised an eyebrow and Magnus sidestepped when a pillow came crashing against the door.

"Izzy! We did not!" Alec huffed, face red. "We just slept."

"In the same bed." Isabelle said, not at all fazed. "And nothing happened."

It was like she had eavesdropped on their conversation. Alec aimed another pillow to the door and Magnus just ushered her away, the door swinging to a close and locking as he walked back to the bed.

"But nothing did happen." Alec mumbled. He fell on his back on the bed and felt it shift, Magnus having joined him again.

"Yes, nothing happened." Magnus echoed with a chuckle.


	29. Sorry, We Don't Serve 'Bitter Revenge'

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I'll edit this tomorrow. I just wanted to post this. And oh god, when is this story even going to end?

* * *

**Chapter 29: Sorry, We Don't Serve 'Bitter Revenge' Coffee**

_(How about tea?) _

Alec tapped his pen against his table; feeling like the day could not go by fast enough. But that was how his days were so far for this week. And it was already Wednesday. Great, he often felt that Wednesdays were the longest days in all of the seven days of the week. With Saturday being the shortest and Monday being the most painful.

It wasn't that he was in a hurry to go home. He was just in a hurry to catch up to either Jace or Isabelle. Ever since that incident with Jonathan, the two of them had withdrawn from Alec and talked by themselves, as if they were plotting on revenge and not telling him about it. Because he would pull them by their hair and drag them out of a scene.

They needed to tell somebody about it. Magnus knew, but Magnus just waited for the go to tell officials. Or Jace was just too proud to even want to tell anybody.

And Isabelle…Isabelle might have taken a painful stab at her own esteem, too. No guy would have used her. Well, granted that Jonathan didn't use her, per se. Just stood her up and beat her adoptive brother bloody. It wasn't much of a difference, was it?

But still.

Isabelle had shown him that she had no interest in him whatsoever. And that he was a horrible and slimy bastard that should just get lost.

She did so first thing last Monday.

* * *

"Bastard!" Isabelle's fist collided with his face. And unlike most girls, Isabelle didn't really like to slap. She liked to throw in a punch. And she heard something crack and felt satisfied at that.

"Bitch," Jonathan spat out, mouth dripping with blood and eyes glaring at her.

"Izzy!" Alec called, trying to get to Isabelle. But she had advanced on Jonathan again. He didn't move when her palm finally collided with his face in a painful slap that resounded throughout the parking lot.

Jace's fingers curled into a fist. But he had promised her to stay away from Jonathan. Just stay away. What was so unfair was that she didn't tell him she wasn't going to do anything to him. And maybe that was because if she punched – or slapped or probably just threw him over the roof – Jonathan wouldn't fight back.

Who hit girls back, anyway? Jace had enough self-respect and respect for the other gender to even hit them back.

And Jonathan didn't fight back. He just took the slap and then the second slap. Jace was amused at how he had managed to blacken his one eye. Well, at least it wasn't just he who ended up in bandages.

But his side still ached.

Jonathan was going down.

"Izzy, stop it already." Alec grabbed hold of Isabelle and she cooled in his grasp, backing away.

Jace shot him a venomous look.

"You have the nerve," He said, golden eyes hard. "To show yourself to us again."

Jonathan looked at him then and his mouth curved into a smile. "I was hoping you would accept my apology."

Okay, that was it.

Jace threw himself at Jonathan – never mind that his side still ached and that Jonathan had the upper hand. It didn't matter. The guy was a total asshole.

His fist would have collided with his face if Jonathan had not pulled away and Alec had not grabbed at his hand.

"Go away." Alec said, always the perfect example of calm and level-headedness. Even when he gave somebody the iciest stare. And icy stares from Alec Lightwood were icy and cold.

Jonathan looked amused as Alec held Jace back and Isabelle was going to hit him again but he ducked back from the siblings, heading away.

"I'm going to beat the shit out of him." Isabelle said, inspecting her nails and then glaring at Jonathan's retreating figure. He had the nerve to even apologize to them? Even after he had beaten Jace up?

"I'm fine, Alec." Jace breathed and pulled his hand back from Alec's.

"You two," He started, but Jace had already pushed past him and Isabelle was almost by the door then.

He sighed, defeated yet again. If they would only listen to him then maybe they wouldn't be in half the deep-shit that they found themselves in to be.

* * *

Clary sat alone during lunch. And she had left the Morgenstern home after that night. Had showed up on Luke's porch when he came out to retrieve the morning newspaper. He was so surprised to see her that he didn't even notice that his cup of coffee had fallen and Clary had flung herself at him, clinging.

"Clary?" Luke breathed, finally deciding that she was not just a dream. He hugged her back and Clary wanted it to stay like that forever. She felt safe in Luke's arms.

"I don't want to stay with them anymore," Clary sniffed, kicking at her bags once the hug had broken off. "Jonathan scares me…If Father calls…Tell him I haven't arrived yet."

"Valentine won't give up after one phone call, though. He'll know this is the only place you'll run to," Luke sighed – but there was a light in his eyes that told Clary he was happy to see her, after so long. She missed him. And she missed her mom, too.

"I want to visit mom. Can we, Luke?"

* * *

Simon felt like total BS. Clary had broken up with him.

"I…I don't think I want this anymore, Simon." And then she was turning around while he was left there to process what she had just said.

Really? Well, he should have seen it coming. Clary was beautiful. Too good for somebody like him. But it still hurt. And he remembered how Jace Lightwood looked like he was after her and how Clary looked – enchanted – to be in his prescence last Halloween.

It made his stomach sick.

But if that's what she wanted, then fine.

He slammed his locker shut and stalked off, a scowl on his face.

It wasn't like she was the first girl to break it up with him. She was just the first girl that really mattered, that really did hurt him.

* * *

Magnus was lying flat on his back in the center of the stage, with none of the many lights on. He felt like it was better this way. That he should just embrace the darkness and the silence around him.

He blinked up at the ceiling when he heard footsteps.

Great. Was it time already? He didn't have any classes for the next hour and a half. But if classes were done for the day and the drama club members were planning on using the stage then he would look like a total fool to be seen lying on the stage.

But he didn't move.

If it was any of his members then they would have already turned the lights on and he would have heard Isabelle ordering people around. But Isabelle had been quite distant for the week…Of course, being in the same school as that delinquent boy – for he was a teacher and he just couldn't call Jonathan Morgenstern a psychotic bastard. – would take a lot out of her.

But it wasn't the drama club members. And the footsteps grew louder as they neared him.

"I heard your phone ringing," Alec. Magnus managed to haul himself up into a sitting position, not wanting to look like a mess. He always did want to be appealing when it came to Alec.

And it had been almost two days since he'd really touched Alec – really had any interaction with him aside from the phone calls and texting at night. He missed the boy. They were all just caught up in the whole Jonathan drama.

"I left it somewhere up there," Magnus pointed out, and dropped his hand. Alec couldn't see him. "Do we go home now?"

"No. It's still time for lunch."

Magnus felt like groaning but he just sighed and hung his head – his hair, which had been styled down to hang loosely – bumped against Alec's leg.

"Why are you…Hiding out here in the dark?" Alec asked, trying to grope for his own cell in his pockets just to get a light. He could make out Magnus's outline when he stared too long at that spot, but then Magnus would shift again.

Alec sighed this time and dropped to the floor, just landing lightly beside Magnus.

Magnus nuzzled his cheek against Alec's shoulder and closed his eyes, his fingers locking around Alec's hand.

"Lunch doesn't matter," Magnus murmured. Alec must like it here in the dark. Nobody to see them. And lunch meant everybody was in the cafeteria. So they had the large auditorium to themselves…

"You're not hungry?" Alec asked, turning to look at Magnus.

Magnus had to admit that he was hungry. "Hmm…Yes,"

"Oh. You should get something to eat then," Alec didn't sound hungry. And Magnus wasn't hungry for food, per se.

"I missed you, Alexander," Magnus leaned closer then. He lifted his free hand to touch Alec's face and felt the coldness in his cheek. He placed light kisses against that side and Alec melted into the touch. "I've been in withdrawal for the past two days. Do you have any idea how hallow it felt when I couldn't even stare at you for more than a second or how I couldn't touch you? It's so sad."

"I'm sorry…Been busy," He mumbled and Magnus didn't really mind how he was busy anymore. What was the past was the past. He had Alec in his arms now and that was all that counted. And lunch lasted for a good hour.

Their first kiss after two days of no-interaction whatsoever was slow until Magnus leaned closer towards Alec and Alec wound his fingers into Magnus's hair, pressing their bodies closer.

When they pulled apart, Alec was biting his lower lip – where Magnus had bitten at it – and his fingers were tugging at his collar, trying to hide that spot right there where Magnus had left his mark.

"And then what are we having for dessert?" At what he meant, Alec blushed – and Magnus cursed the darkness because he couldn't really see Alec that much. Much less see his own hand.

But the thrill of making out in the middle of the stage gave him a jolt, and no sooner did Alec finally straighten his collar out to block the mark did Magnus pull at him, their lips crushing against each other again.

Yes, he was still hungry.

* * *

Enter lots more Magnus and Alec!

And reviews make me update faster! I'm thinking of stopping this story, it's gotten so long already. But then I want to finish it. What do you think?


	30. Siblings and Family

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Did you guys expect me to never update? Well, here's an update for 'ya.

**DISCLAIMER: **All rights reserved to Cassandra Clare. I own nothing but the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Chapter 30: Siblings and Family  
**

_"Isabelle, I'm not an idiot."_

_"Yes, you are."_

_"Shut up."_

_A pause and then the sound of a purse slapping against somebody's arm._

_"Jace, don't be an ass about it."_

_"I'm not." And, "You have to give me more credit for this. I'm totally handling this Alec situation calmly."_

_"When we get home…Just don't say anything."_

_"About?"_

_"You know what!"_

_"I don't?"_

_"Jace!"_

_The purse collided with an arm again._

_"Isabelle, I'm not blind."_

_"You are to being sensitive."_

_"Isabelle, please. My arm is abused enough,"_

_"Just not a word."_

_"My lips are sealed."_

_"Yeah, let's hope so this time."_

_"What?"_

_"They are the reason why you're a bloody mess in the first place."_

_"Isabelle."_

_"Come on. He'll probably need help with the paper work."_

* * *

Magnus thought that maybe having a sibling or two wasn't so bad. He saw how the Lightwoods worked. He saw how Alec felt the need to protect his younger siblings and Magnus wondered if that was really the case. Would he stand up for them, too, or would he be too selfish and just stand for himself and him alone?

He supposed that he wasn't all that selfish. When it came to Alec he wasn't very selfish, was he? And it was silly how the butterflies fluttered in his stomach at the thought of being purely unselfish for someone, of changing into something better.

He's been with a lot of guys for the past years, and unlike Alec, he's been quite open about his sexuality. But then none of them really struck a chord like Alec. Okay, maybe there was that one guy who he had really fallen for. And what really sucked was that the guy was just there for the hell of it and left him to hang on, hurt and defeated.

Magnus vowed to play the game by his own rules, and then later – to really manipulate the game. The rules of the game? Whoever fell in love first lost. And he was feeling like he was on the brink already of failing, of losing. But was it really love? Could this be like that relationship so many years ago? That relationship, that failed relationship, that shaped him into becoming who he was today?

No, it was different. He couldn't admit that it was like that with Alec. Had he not waited for the boy to finally see what he should be seeing? He had been patient, feeling like somebody far older and wiser than who he really is?

It wasn't fair, Magnus thought. That Alec Lightwood would make him feel this much. He was just a nineteen year old. It was not fair. How just a smile from Alec would suddenly turn his whole day upside down, how the slightest traces of Alec touching him would send goosebumps up his arm and then to the back of his neck. That, every morning, that single text of greeting would make him look as if he was glowing every time he looked into the mirror?

Was it fair?

He was losing.

But he didn't think of this as a game. The players lost. He was the game-master. He shouldn't lose. Not unless he played his own game.

Magnus sighed.

No, this wasn't a game. Just like Alec wasn't just a boy toy, something he was interested for the mean time. Something he could possibly dispose of.

Magnus scowled at the thought.

If Alec felt like he was just that to Magnus – that he was just a sort of fling then Magnus honestly did not know where he went wrong. He was being a total romantic when it came to Alec.

Every effort and ounce of patience…And of love. Of love. He gave it to Alec.

Just a distress call would send him running, he knew of that.

But love. Did that even exist to him anymore? Had he not hallowed himself totally to repel all sorts of love? Lust was different. Like was different. Love was…Love was strong.

And Magnus Bane was strong. He always believed himself to be. He was strong. But was this even possible, really? To feel like he really did love somebody.

He suddenly thought of his mother and how she had loved him only for it to be something that would only last for a second. She had handed him over to her husband. To his father. And Magnus was not at all happy with the old man, but he was also frustrated at how his mother – who swore that she loved her one and only sunshine – could just pass him on.

Over the years he's learned to forget, to empty out his feelings for his mother. What was left was just bitterness.

A distraction from his own thoughts, he needed that.

He shifted in his chair and looked around the faculty. It was nearly empty. Everybody must have gone out for lunch. He sighed once more.

**Alec: **

?

**Magnus:**

Yes?

**Alec:**

You sent me a blank text.

Magnus blinked. Had he? He had been so engrossed in just thinking about Alec and how his own feelings churned inside him that he didn't even remember or register that he'd opened a text box and sent it to Alec, who was number one on his list and number one on his speed dial.

**Magnus:**

I guess I did.

**Alec:**

Is everything okay?

**Magnus:**

I like you, Alexander.

Okay, not exactly what he felt like saying. But just to get an 'okay…' out of Alec was better than nothing. After a minute of staring back at his empty screen, Magnus placed his phone down. So Alec didn't _like _him back or anything? He just kissed him and that was that?

**Magnus:**

I mean, I really like you.

His fingers should stop moving. Magnus uncrossed his legs and looked out the window, the trees obscuring his view.

After five more minutes, his phone finally buzzed. Tentative now of what the answer might be – he cursed himself for a moment. It wasn't like he asked for his hand or anything, or said the dreaded big L word.

**Alec:**

I like you, too.

And then, after ten seconds:

**Alec:**

A lot.

Magnus brought the phone closer to his face and smiled. The text went to his 'Saved' folder immediately.

It was sweet, and Magnus was aware of how it was so not like him to beat himself up. Magnus Bane dreading a text message because it might be one of rejection? Hah! It shouldn't even be possible.

But it was.

**Magnus:**

IMY&ILY.

**Alec:**

?

…Well that just made things more complicated, didn't it? No, it shouldn't be complicated. Magnus liked Alec. Alec liked him back. ILY could stand for I Like You. Yeah, it stood for that.

**Magnus:**

Silly, Silly, Lightwood. 'I miss you' and 'I like you'.

**Alec:**

Ohh…Well…Um…IMY2?

**Magnus:**

You're not sure? – Sad face - .

**Alec:**

IMY2.

**Magnus:**

Come here.

**Alec:**

Classes are almost starting.

**Magnus:**

Perfect! So come over.

**Alec:**

You're in the faculty?

**Magnus:**

Yes.

**Alec:**

You're crazy.

**Magnus:**

Crazy for you, baby.

**Alec:**

Really?

Magnus's head hit the table then. Really? Really, Magnus? Did you have to? And when was it such an issue to how he expressed himself? It wasn't like he had awkward times with Alec. Times with Alec were so short but sweet and never enough. He blamed his own thoughts for the past half-hour. He should stop thinking about _that _and just think of how good this felt.

**Alec:**

I must be crazy, too, then.

**Magnus:**

What?

**Alec:**

Classes!

And Magnus wasn't sure if it were butterflies in his stomach or rabid bats, he had no idea anymore nor did he mind.

* * *

"You're dating Mister Bane?" Jace said, and Alec looked at him for a moment in the front seat of the car. Isabelle's foot connected with the back of Jace's seat – who was driving. He swerved and cursed and Isabelle kicked at him again.

"I connected the dots," Jace looked over at him and had that strange smile on his face. That smile that spelled: Danger, danger! "You said you had a date for Friday. You arrived home with him driving you over. And his car was parked overnight. So did he sleep on the floor?"

"Nothing happened." Isabelle and Alec said at the same time. Alec was relieved that his sister was taking his side that Isabelle cared about what he had. That she tried - maybe – a tad bit too hard to protect him and everybody else from ever knowing. But this was Jace. Jace was family. If he couldn't be honest with his family, with a sibling who he's known for the most of his life, whom he loved as much as his own blood-related siblings, then who could he be honest with?

"Is that bothering you?" And it was as much of a yes that Jace needed.

"Actually, no." Jace turned a sharp left and Alec heard the contents of Isabelle's purse empty out as she swore under her breath.

Jace backed the car into the garage and stepped out, Isabelle gathering her things and Alec not quite knowing what to make of his siblings anymore.

He loved them all, really. But they were just so strange and had different tracks in their mind that they were all racing on. Alec just couldn't figure it out. How they truly worked. One moment Jace was all Golden and the next he wouldn't even want the attention. And then Isabelle would be the star of the show, would strut down the school hallways…Then the next moment she'd be totally…Well, totally something else.

They were a rare species, his siblings.

When he reached the door, Jace blocked the way and looked at him, his golden eyes locking with Alec's pale blues.

"Alec," Jace said, and his voice was soft, bitterness or sarcasm not tinting it. "I don't care who you're seeing. And I'm not mom or anything, so I can't say: 'Be careful, son.' When I don't even listen to her and do all the shit I want, but I think you get the point already."

Alec socked him lightly and the two of them grinned at each other.

Isabelle's long arms wrapped around each of them and she swung herself up onto the last step, giggling as she landed.

His siblings might be weird and odd and the three of them might make a weird combination, but he still loved them.

* * *

Rest assured that the people who told me not to stop have gotten their point across and now you can all breathe easy because I have written the next chapter! See? All it needed was a little push from you guys - some managed to be very point on. Thank you!

And this chapter is family-oriented, see. :D


	31. Too Soon

**Chapter 31: Too Soon**

_I know your secret. _

That was the text that Alec woke up to. The number was unregistered, his phone not recognizing it. He thought it probably would have been Jace, just fooling around. But Jace didn't have a new number, and it wouldn't be Isabelle. It also wasn't Magnus.

Because Magnus's text was the second thing he opened.

_The sun shines so bright today. Ugh. But I bet if you smiled at me, you'd put the sun to shame. _

And then:

_Was that too much? But I hope that made you smile. Take a picture and send it to me._

A third:

_After that, I can send you a picture of me in the bathroom!_

Finally:

_I am responsible for your blush so early in the morning. I'm proud. _

Alec didn't even reply to any of the texts – four texts from Magnus in succession. He found it cute how Magnus tended to babble when it came to Alec not replying to his texts so fast. But he was asleep. Still.

That first text was still disturbing, though. He didn't really have a secret, did he? He honestly did not know anybody who would hold a grudge against him. What did he ever do, anyway? Just stayed under the radar.

Unless it was that Jonathan Morgenstern guy…No, it wasn't him. Alec had a feeling it was somebody else. But if it was a secret…Then what?

_Must be the reason why you're so good in class. Your scandal gets an A+ from me. _

No. He must have read wrong. It was probably a text message sent by accident. Who would know? They weren't even seen in public together! It was just insane. How could it be possible for somebody to find out when they were being so discreet?

Alec felt his stomach drop.

This was what he had feared, wasn't it? It was bad. If they knew…But no, if they knew and had no proof to back it up then it didn't matter that much, did it? But it mattered to him. It mattered that somebody knew about his relationship with Magnus. This was not supposed to happen.

* * *

**Jace: **

Your drawings are really good.

**Clary:**

You were the one that took my sketchbook!

**Jace:**

No. I found it. And took it home with me. Big difference.

**Clary:**

Give it back.

**Jace:**

Then you'll have to come face-to-face with me again.

**Clary:**

It doesn't matter.

**Jace:**

Oh?

**Clary:**

What?

**Jace:**

Haven't you been avoiding me?

**Clary:**

Just give me my sketchbook back.

**Jace:**

Meet me outside of school then.

**Clary:**

Now?

**Clary:**

Jace? Hello? Ugh.

* * *

**Alec:**

I need to talk to you.

**Magnus:**

I'm all yours.

**Alec:**

Please?

**Magnus:**

Did I miss something?

**Magnus:**

Was my good morning text too weird? Should I send another one?

**Magnus:**

Alec?

**Alec:**

Somewhere…Private. Really private.

**Magnus:**

My car?

**Alec:**

I said private.

**Magnus:**

You think everybody has a key to my car?

**Alec:**

No…

**Magnus:**

Then it's as private as it can get.

**Alec: **

I have a key to your place.

**Magnus:**

And to my heart, but we're not gonna talk about homes.

**Alec:**

…

**Magnus:**

:'D ?

**Alec:**

You, too.

**Magnus:**

?

**Alec:**

":'D?" ?

**Magnus:**

Alexander.

**Alec:**

If you figure it out…

**Magnus:**

Where are you?

**Alec:**

Coming.

* * *

"A key to my heart," Magnus mumbled, slipping into the driver's seat. He caught his reflection in the mirror and found his hair – in their spiky greatness – to be lacking their usual glitter. He sighed but didn't bother applying a new layer of glitter. He just wanted Alec in here right now. If it was important, then Alec would have arrived first.

But maybe his text had put him off? Was he too straight-forward? Had he not told himself to avoid that little path – that the 'L' word was 'like' and it would not lead to 'heart' or anything else? Magnus felt like he'd just dropped a bomb on Alec Lightwood.

He meant it, though. As cheesy as it was. 'And a key to my heart'. Was that him saying he loved Alec? Was he that close to saying it? But if he said it through text then it would end up cheap. It might have been cute, but then there was no better way to say it than to his face.

And Alec had basically thrown what he'd said right back at him. Except for the fact that Magnus did not have a key to his house, but that was fine. Though Alec's room was warm and cozy. He smiled to himself then and craned his head when a tapping sounded from the other side.

* * *

"Magnus?" Alec said, his breath coming out in puffs. He rubbed his hands together and then drew his jacket closer. Magnus looked at him, his golden-green eyes intent on only seeing him before those long fingers smoothed his collar out.

"Good morning," Magnus said, leaning back against his chair. He liked how Alec's hair looked damped and how it stuck to his face, how, with the cold, he looked exceptionally pale and his blue eyes like the ocean in a warm breeze. It was beautiful.

"Do you try?" Magnus asked, and Alec was distracted for a little while at how Magnus lacked of glitter. He liked it, though. "You look gorgeous every single day."

Alec couldn't help but blush while Magnus chuckled.

"I just try to get the knots out of my hair," On a good day. His hair looked like a total mess most of the time. But Magnus didn't mind. Alec was close to asking him if he was blind or something. What was so attractive about him? He downplayed his features. He wasn't anything special. Magnus saw through everything, though.

"I can do that." Magnus purred and it was Alec's turn to lean against the chair. "Remember last Saturday?"

Alec shivered. Yes, he remembered. How he woke up in the same bed as Magnus. And how those fingers worked his scalp and brushed through his hair.

"But oh yes…You said it was important?" If it wasn't then Alec would've already pressed his lips against Magnus's. He missed the contact. He missed hearing him talk. He just missed seeing Magnus. And he's seen very little of Magnus for the past week.

Taking his phone out from a pocket, Alec flashed the screen and Magnus tapped a finger lazily on his chin.

"For the record, you're an exceptionally bright student and I don't give you good grades just because you're my boyfriend."

The word alone made Alec feel a whole lot better, and he couldn't help but try and push down the smile that started to form. Only Magnus would turn something totally upside down, would make him feel better within an inch of a breath.

"And I've only told Ragnor,"

"Isabelle…And Jace are the only ones that know."

Magnus raised an eyebrow at that – the Jace part, anyway – but nodded. They were his siblings. They deserved to know.

"Should we be worried?"

"Why are you taking this so lightly?"

"Nobody would believe them,"

Alec felt his cheeks heat up at that. Nobody? Was it so absurd for him to be dating somebody that nobody would believe it? No, that wasn't it. It was just that Magnus was a teacher. And Alec was a student – who shut himself out of everybody elses business and lived in his own circle. That must be it.

"Still…"

"Alec," And Magnus's fingers were tracing down his cheek, the man leaning even closer to him now. Magnus cupped his face and Alec nuzzled into the warmth. "I promised you we'll make this work."

When Magnus kissed him, Alec kissed back – and the kiss was shy, as if it was their first time. Magnus didn't mind. He went with whatever pace Alec had set. If Alec wanted it to go slow, then he could go with that. He pulled back and brushed the hair out of Alec's eyes, staring straight into his eyes.

Alec just closed his eyes, longing for the warmth of Magnus's lips – for the warmth that spread through his whole body when they kissed, when Magnus touched him.

He caught a grip on the hem of Magnus's coat and Magnus pressed a kiss on his forehead.

"I think I love you,"

The whisper was so soft that Alec wasn't even sure if he really did hear it, if Magnus really did say it. Magnus pulled back then, surprise in his eyes before he smiled – a smile that would have meant to distract, but Alec was not distracted.


	32. Finally

**Chapter 32: Finally**

He should have shut his mouth. Should have just kissed him on the forehead and ushered him away and back to classes. Instead, he'd uttered those three words. Three words whose weight was too heavy for the all too magnificent Magnus Bane.

And it was the hurt he was waiting for. Would Alec hurt him? Alec hadn't said anything. He'd just blushed and smiled shyly at him before Magnus told him to get back to classes. So the prospect of somebody knowing about them, of their relationship, was scaring him. And he was too distracted, too troubled about that to properly reply.

What would have hurt more – Silence or Alec saying he wasn't ready for that, that he didn't feel that way about Magnus?

Besides, they didn't share much. Two months, not counting the previous three or four months that they were left just looking at each other, just wanting to know what it would feel like to kiss the other. But did a number really count? And Magnus was wrong. They did share a lot. They'd been through quite a few fun times, and even one distress call.

Magnus's forehead hit the kitchen table as he closed his eyes, the ringing from the living room growing more insistent, before somebody started to knock on the door. And when he didn't get up to answer it, the knocking turned to pounding until it quieted and Magnus was overcome by the tugging of sleep. Sleep he knew would be short and would hurt his neck like hell because he was slumped on the kitchen table.

* * *

"Alec," Isabelle said, looking up from her toenails. She held the tiny brush between two fingers. "Is Magnus ignoring you?"

Alec grumbled, looking up from his phone. What was Isabelle doing in his room, anyway?

"Don't you have your own room?" Alec said, not at all distracted that Magnus wasn't picking up. And he didn't answer his front door, too. Did something happen? Alec couldn't even imagine Magnus hurting the way Jace had a few nights ago.

"Yes, I do." Isabelle said, rolling her eyes as if that was the stupidest question Alec could ever ask.

"Why aren't you doing that in your room?" Alec asked again, just really wanting to sulk in his room alone. But he wouldn't have that if Isabelle was sitting on his bed, the fume from the nail-polish just suffocating. Ugh.

"Because Max is sleeping on my bed. And the smell would trigger his asthma."

"People in this house aren't even aware of which room is theirs. Where's Jace?"

"Probably sleeping in the living room," Isabelle looked out of the window and then crinkled her nose. "Mom hates it when he does that,"

Alec could only nod. An overly obsessed with keeping the house clean and tidy mother. She was scary sometimes, but the Lightwood children loved her. Even with her neat-freak tendencies.

"So, Alec."She twisted the cap of the purple nail-polish back on and then lifted her legs up as she turned to face Alec.

"If you're going to ask me to do your nails for you, then I won't do it." He flipped his phone shut and looked at Isabelle from his chair near the laptop. Really, was his sister always that demanding? Yes, she was.

But Isabelle shook her head and rolled her eyes once more, obviously annoyed that Alec would ask her to do that.

"You'll just screw it up. And I wanted to know if something was bothering you," She paused, touching a finger to her lip. "Well, obviously. There is something bothering you. So tell me,"

Why were they even having this conversation? It wasn't like Alec was the sister Isabelle always wanted, or secretly wanted. Just because he was gay didn't mean they could paint their nails together and do their hair and go shopping and apply make-up in front of the mirror or talk non-stop over the phone.

Actually, she could do that with his boyfriend, Magnus.

"I'm not going to hold it against you, Alec. God, you should know by now that there is nothing wrong with dating Mister Bane,"

Alec cringed. It sounded so formal when she called him that.

"Okay, fine. Don't tell me. I'm not going to force you. Unless I'm really dying to know, right now I'm just on the 'I really want to know' stage." Isabelle continued, throwing the bottle of nail-polish somewhere on his bed as she stretched.

"Is it okay if I take a nap here?" Isabelle purred into the pillow, her long black hair let loose. It looked startling dark with his new and white sheets.

Alec had no idea if she was expecting him to answer with a no or if she expected him to just let her have his room atop of hers.

"I don't have much of a choice."

"That's why I love you." And with that, Isabelle snuggled closer into his pillows, her fingers splayed on the sheets as she closed her eyes.

Fine, let her have the room. Alec stood up, but not before laying a thin blanket over her, just incase she got cold.

* * *

His first attempt had failed. And he was sure Magnus was inside. School had ended three hours ago. And yet he neither answers his calls nor his own door. Alec was tempted to pound more, but there was no use. This time, though, as he pressed for the buzzer, Alec felt absolutely stupid.

He had a key, didn't he?

Yes, he did.

Patting his pockets and finally pulling a key out of one, he turned back to the door.

Alec found himself in the empty living room, the lights dimmed out. There were signs of Magnus having returned home – one, his car. Okay, it was just his car. Everything else was a complete mess, as was normal with the man.

"Magnus?" Alec called, his eyes finally adjusting to the semi-darkness. There was a tugging in his stomach. As if he just needed to see Magnus. He had left him hanging in the morning, and that had confused him. What was he supposed to say? "Okay, that's nice to know."? Really, he might as well have said: "I'm an oblivious boy, can you repeat what you just said?". Seriously! He didn't even know why Magnus stuck around with him even after the two months they'd been seeing each other.

Yet here he was, looking for the man.

A light thump from the kitchen alerted him of Magnus's prescence. Or it could just be Chairman Meow.

He decided to just go with it, see if the cat had broken anything.

What he found in the kitchen was different, though. Magnus was asleep, head on the table.

"Alec?" Alec stiffened. If Magnus was sleeping then who else would call for him? Slowly, he rounded to the other side of the table to see Magnus slowly opening his eyes.

"Was that you earlier?" Magnus yawned and stretched, his shirt riding a little bit too high that Alec had to look away. Magnus caught him and he smiled, a totally disarming smile. "Sorry, I fell asleep."

"You're tired." Alec frowned, but Magnus was already standing from the table, one hand reaching for Alec.

"Not anymore. And I have to make up for ignoring you earlier…But why you didn't use your key to get inside is beyond me," Magnus sighed then and Alec just stayed put, the man's fingers brushing against his neck.

Again they were so close, Magnus's hair tickling Alec's nose when the taller man bent down to press a kiss to his forehead.

Alec found his fingers clutching at Magnus's shirt.

"I came because I wanted to tell you something," Alec started softly. When Magnus didn't say anything, Alec looked up from his lashes and tilted his chin up into a kiss.

Their lips met, and it was the sweetest and lightest kiss they'd ever had. When they broke apart, Alec was a little flushed, but Magnus had a smile on his face.

"I'm all ears," He said, resting his chin on Alec's head while Alec pressed the side of his face against Magnus's chest. It was a nice feeling, just staying like this. Locked in Magnus's arms.

"What you said this morning," Alec felt Magnus pause, his breath catching in his throat. But Magnus was always confident, always with the 'God I'm fabulous' aura, and yet here he was.

"You heard that?" Magnus said, breaking away from Alec. But Alec pulled him back and drew his arms around Magnus's neck so that he was looking down at him.

"I…" Alec started, the blush starting. "…I love you, too."

* * *

So um I kinda lost my spark after writing Chapter 34. Ugh. I hate this feeling. This is the absolute worst thing I've gone through while writing ACLTCL. And it's like killing me inside. I'm gonna try to push myself to write more for tonight just so I'll break free. This thing is going to result to a lot of tears (coming from me) but I'll keep it going. x_x


	33. Of Friends and Friends

Updating schedule was thrown out the window because I couldn't login yesterday. Oh well.

Oh, and surprise surprise, 2 characters make an appearance!

* * *

**Chapter 33: Of Friends and "Friends"**

"Are you sure?" Magnus said, looking at Alec, greenish gold eyes devoid of any sarcasm or humour. He was dead serious, and unlike him, Alec thought it was funny.

Magnus frowned and really, he should've just shut up when Alec had said those three words, but he hadn't, and here was Alec, trying hard to hide his uneasy grin.

"Come on." Alec said, raising an eyebrow and Magnus just sighed. "I tell you 'I love you' and you think I'm joking?" There was a hurt note there and Mangus's serious façade fell. His hand reached out to touch Alec and the boy smiled, the smile warmer this time, and eased into the touch, raising his hands to lock around Magnus's neck and stepping into the taller man, looking up at him.

"Can you say that again?" Magnus's own arms locked around Alec's waist and he leaned down, his nose brushing softly against Alec's. Ah, this was what he loved the most about them. About Alec. He was soft. And although he might want to appear like he was the strong older brother, he was still a teenager – unsure of himself, shy, perhaps, but wanting to venture into the unknown and here was Magnus, ready to hold his hand if ever he was afraid of the dark.

"I love you," Magnus honestly did not think he would feel tired of hearing those words. For instance, he was pretty much fired up just by hearing them. And he closed his eyes and Alec met his lips, parting them open as Magnus gasped, Alec's fingers finding their way to his hair and tugging gently.

The kiss had barely even started when a doorbell rang, and then when they took no move even after breaking apart and just stared at each other, somebody banged on it, a booted toe hitting against the frame. Magnus just groaned.

"I see your car outside!"

Magnus winced. He knew that voice.

"Let me in! You still owe me fifty bucks and thirty pounds of glitter. Jesus, Bane!"

"It's just me, darling. No other godly figure whatsoever," Alec squirmed in his hold and Magnus's knuckles went under his chin making him tilt his head up. Blue eyes met odd green ones and Magnus pressed a rather soft kiss on his cheek.

"Hmm…Maybe there is one other godly figure here," He said slyly and Alec just nudged him with his elbow, though his fingers did catch at Magnus's collar and pulled him down into a kiss.

"It's Ragnor Fell." Magnus said once they'd stepped away from each other and the kicking and pounding on his poor door had increased.

"Last I checked, you don't pay for this flat." The door flew open and Magnus stepped aside. And there, just striding into his flat like he very well owned the place and spent a lot of time there was Ragnor Fell.

Dark hair that almost seemed a little navy blue in their darkness, and brown eyes that looked of the murkier color. He wasn't as tall as Magnus, but there was that other form of aura that both exuded.

"Thank you for giving us the disgrace of your presence, Ragnor." Magnus ran a hand through his hair and winced as his fingers caught in the hard tips and Ragnor, forgetting about his earlier annoyance of taking so long to be let in, moved closer to Magnus and batted his hand away, taking great care to run his fingers through his hair and easing out any tangles. When he pulled back, his fingers travelled down Magnus's cheek and then gave one side a very light slap.

"Oh, it's always my pleasure to serve you, Bane and who is _this_?" Alec felt the man's eyes bore into him and he shifted in his seat. Okay, fine. He could touch his boyfriend like that and fix his hair because Alec had no idea how he would deal with makeup and Magnus Bane and if somebody could then he could give five minutes to them for it.

And even with that in his mind it still didn't make any sense.

When he glanced up, though, he offered a very small smile and Ragnor looked back to Magnus.

"Where have you been hiding him?" He demanded and Magnus just shrugged, dropping down beside Alec and slinging one arm around the boy's shoulders.

"Ragnor, this is Alec. Alec, it's okay, you don't have to be nice to the strange and very unwanted man." Magnus ran circles around his arm and Ragnor scoffed, not really insulted as he was used to much of Magnus's teasing and jibes.

"Ah, the student." Ragnor said and Alec nodded, a blush creeping up to his face. Aww, it was adorable. And Ragnor should shut up and leave them be to canoodle in peace. But he had other plans, instead, he sat down in front of them and crossed his legs.

"Why are you here?" Magnus finally asked. He owed the man some money? Sure, what the hell. Ragnor was filthy rich, anyway. Not that the same applied to Magnus, too. But they could both use less cash and more of the dirty life.

"Got bored. Camille's not leaving my phone alone so I couldn't call you. And oh god, that woman is a total bitch. Even after all the years. Did you know two of her marriages ended in divorce? She's a viper at twenty five, that one."

Magnus merely nodded, not at all surprised that Camille had contacted Ragnor first and not him. Not that he was jealous, nah, Camille was more of a sister now that they had gone through their first stage together as casual lovers in an open relationship.

At the sound of Camille's expeditions, though, Alec stirred.

"Cute, isn't he?" Ragnor inquired, leaning forward to gaze at Alec. "Delicate beauty. Best to hide him from Camille. If she won't pounce on you then I have no doubts she'd hesitate on getting her hands on him."

And maybe this was why Magnus and Ragnor got along. They talked as if nothing else mattered, and touched like it was not at all strange. When Ragnor turned to look at Magnus, both of them staring straight at the other, Alec had a strange feeling that maybe they shared more than a simple friendship bond. No, Magnus wouldn't outright flirt with someone else in the same room.

"Um…Magnus," He touched Magnus's arm and Ragnor drew back with a short chuckle.

"Ragnor Fell is a pain, Alec. He's the unwanted brother twice removed for trying to be a sister and then dumped into an orphanage who wouldn't accept him because of it. Not that it matters to him."

"Oh, speaking of Camille-" Ragnor didn't seem to hear any of what Magnus had just said and took his phone out.

"You can cover your ears; the two of them get really loud on better days." Magnus's fingers travelled up Alec's neck and he shivered at the touch, sitting closer to Magnus and seeking for his warmth. This was odd, being this affectionate in front of someone.

But they were in Magnus's apartment and that wasn't at all odd. It was…Comforting, a little unnerving that somebody was watching them but it was also sort of nice that that somebody didn't really mind and just continued on talking on the phone while Magnus placed soft kisses after soft kisses on his cheek, avoiding even the nearest regions of Alec's lips.

"Can you save that for the bedroom?" Ragnor finally snapped his phone shut and turned his attention – full attention, anyway – back to the two of them. Magnus looked up from Alec's shoulder and smiled, a small smile, at how Alec reddened at the mere mention of that.

"But you find it hot, anyway." Magnus shot back and Ragnor rolled his eyes, agreeing with a small nod.

A series of doorbells alerted them of somebody outside and Magnus groaned while Alec sat straight.

"Are you expecting anyone?" He asked and Magnus shook his head, lips pursed.

"Could that be Isabelle?" Magnus asked this time and Alec shrugged. He wouldn't put it pass his sister to intrude on them like this. Even if Ragnor had sort of ruined the moment earlier already. A second intrusion would be just as bad, anyway.

"No…She would have called if anything was up," Alec said, a bit uncertain, his dark brows knitted together.

"Oh, that's just Camille." Ragnor finally said with a little twirl of his finger in the air.

"Please invite more people into my own flat without telling me about it first the next time you come by, why don't you?" Magnus huffed as he peeled himself off Alec, but not before he pressed a short kiss to his nose, swiping some dark locks away from his forehead.

As he went over to the door, Ragnor leaned forward, chin on an open palm as he stared at Alec.

"He's touchy, isn't he?" And if Alec knew Ragnor Fell at all then he would also know that Ragnor was probably twice as touchy as Magnus. But he nodded, anyway, a blush on his cheeks.

"Camille Belcourt's at the door. Old fling," He said offhandedly as if _that _wouldn't faze Alec at all. And it didn't, really. Because it was an 'old fling' and it was done with and as he craned his neck to look at the door he saw only a tall woman, beautiful from head to foot with light blonde curls that cascaded down her back and green eyes so piercing Alec had to look away for a moment.

She didn't look like somebody who'd just ended two marriages in divorce.

* * *

_I think I was totally mental when I wrote this and I'm sorry. But yeah. There you have it. Camille and Ragnor and Magnus, all in one chapter!  
_

_Oh, on a side note, I'm getting my funk back (...it's kinda not helping ACTLCL, but my muse will bless this story once more!...I hope). Oh, and I have a new series entitled: The Alphabet! You guys should check it out. I'll be updating tomorrow or after this. Who knows?_


	34. Pretty Faces

_I'm sorry for the delay! I just took out Clary's part in this chapter and re-wrote it for Chapter 35. So yeah. Sorry for the wait. Here's 34. _

* * *

**Chapter 34: Pretty Faces  
**

"Magnus Bane! You haven't been answering my calls. My first time in New York after years and you don't even pick up my calls?" She had a faint British accent laced with something else…Sort of like French and then another one, as if she had acquainted herself with a lot of foreign languages.

"Not a day past thirty," Camille said as she leaned forward to press soft kisses on each side of Magnus's cheek, Magnus doing the same. Alec felt like something had just gripped at his insides. Old fling, really. Nothing serious. And Magnus had never mentioned it before. He'd mentioned being with guys way back then, but not with a woman. Not with a woman whom he was still so close to, apparently.

"Now why aren't you as sweet to me as you are with her?" Ragnor sighed and Magnus walked back into the sitting room, a very beautiful Camille following behind him.

He took his seat right next to Alec, as with earlier, and Camille stopped short of throwing something sarcastic at Ragnor as her eyes fell on Alec. Her lips went into a very thin line, those green eyes very piercing and hard to stare into for too long before she nodded, a very small nod that was accompanied with a wave of one gloved hand.

"Is this who I've been hearing about?" Camille said as she took Ragnor's seat without much of his consent. Ragnor scooted and they both sat across the pair.

"I haven't mentioned Alec to you," Magnus said lightly, his leg leaning against Alec and one hand lightly touching him. Just a meeting of friends, Magnus wanted to say.

"Ragnor Fell did. And he looks rather young, doesn't he, dear?"

"He's in High School." Ragnor supplied helpfully while Magnus squeezed Alec's hand.

Really, Alec just wanted to get up and leave Magnus to his little reunion. A very unplanned, very on the spot reunion.

Alec was surprised to see Camille's eyes widen before she schooled her features into a cooler state and just smiled as if she appreciated Magnus's chose of young and fresh boys.

"Magnus," it was Alec who called for him now and Magnus felt the cushion beside him ease up as Alec stood up. "I need to go," He _wanted _to go.

There was that unease in his blue eyes – pale blue on very calm days. But now they were darker, as if this was all somewhat uncomfortable for him and he just wanted to go and leave three friends by themselves.

Great, he had actually professed his love for Magnus Bane and they could be making out or just whatever it was Magnus wanted to do but instead this happened. Was it bad timing or was it bad timing?

"It's okay. Not that late. And I have a car," He made a tilting gesture with his head to point out that he really did bring a car and Magnus stood up with him, Camille and Ragnor involved in their own conversation.

When the door to his flat closed behind them Alec headed down but not before Magnus caught his wrist and smiled at him.

"There's nothing between Camille and I," Magnus said and Alec nodded. "Well, there was something before. But as you can see, she's been married twice now and I think she'll have a third one maybe this January."

Nothing to worry about, Magnus wanted to say. Perfectly a good and normal relationship between exes.

"It's getting late," Alec said and Magnus gave off a sigh that seemed to drag on. When Alec took the next few steps to stand level with Magnus and tilt his head up for a kiss, Magnus's fingers took hold of his chin to steady them both in place.

See? Nothing wrong. Camille Belcourt's prescence in Magnus's flat wasn't going to upset him. Of past relationships and all that jazz.

"I love you," Magnus whispered into the kiss, reluctant to leave Alec go. He had half the mind to just leave Camille and Ragnor there bickering like their usual selves and drive off back to the Lightwood's house with Alec but Alec pushed him back gently to the door because he'd apparently followed Alec down to his car.

"Good night," Alec said but not before a last kiss that felt so short and yet to full of raw energy. "And…I love you, too."

As he watched Alec drive away, Magnus was pretty sure he would never grow tired of hearing that. Not that it meant somebody had actually crushed down all barriers he'd put up years before, but because finally there was somebody.

* * *

"Who's it this time, Camille?" Magnus asked, cutting Ragnor and Camille in the middle of their never-ending verbal battle. Well, they got to claws and hissy fits that one time and it was nasty. As in not a very pretty sight. Camille looked him over and then smiled before turning back to Ragnor Fell. Apparently, tonight would be a hard night. As in - Tonight would not be the night the two of them would shut up and stop arguing. But if they shut up for five minutes then it was a little place in Heaven already. God only knew Ragnor and Camille never grew tired of all their squabbles.

"Somebody I met in Paris." Camille said offhandedly.

Ragnor snorted. "How rich is he?"

"Very, if she's thinking about another marriage."

Camille only gave the two of them a little shrug and then another hidden smile. A Gold Digger? Not likely! She did fall in love with her husband...Husbands. But it wasn't her fault they grew tired of her and it wasn't really her who asked for the divorce. It's their fault, really, for falling for good looks and a pretty face and then proposing so soon. It wasn't like she was an enchantress.

"So, when would we meet Husband Number Four?" Ragnor cackled and slapped his knee while Camille shot him a sharp glare.

"At least _I _don't have a string of one night stands. Hm?"

Ragnor stopped for a second before he went on another round.

"It's safe to say he has commitment issues." Magnus murmured and Camille chuckled.

"Unlike you, love?"

"Sighing like a love-struck teenager. Can't even get his hands off the boy. Can we say 'love of his life' now? Or do we have to wait for you to label him as such?" If Magnus could kick Ragnor Fell out of his home then he already did, but then he would have to deal with Camille by himself and Ragnor was a never ending comic relief. And maybe a punching-bag relief as well.

"Is that so?" Camille's eyes grew darker for just a fraction of a second before she joined Ragnor in his laughing fit. She raised a glass and tilted her head towards Magnus. "To true love, then."

"To your Third True Love!" Both Magnus and Ragnor echoed.

* * *

Are some of you guys worried that with Camille appearing something bad is gonna happen to our little couple? Wellllllll.

Oh and I just re-wrote half of this and I feel like I got my funk back. And I need to read COFA. Ugh. Bad. And City of Lost Souls has a dirty-sexy-scene with Magnus and Alec. Well, my mind is taking the sneakpeak as a DLS so yeah.

This is me promoting my other story - The Alphabet.

And reviews are loved! Thank you!


	35. The Big, Bad Wolf

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Guess who's back! And guess who has a beta now. Me, me, me. Yes, it has been too long. But, better late than never, right?

Oh and thank you to my wonderful beta (who I know will become quite scary when need be): foxfire flamequeen. :)

* * *

**Chapter 35: Big Bad Wolf**

Max Lightwood, for some reason, reminded people of an eleven year old Harry. Maybe it was his messy hair and scrawny build. They probably expected him to wield a magic wand. Little Max just snorted – in his mind – and turned his back on them. Really, some adults had the wildest imaginations.

He was obviously not very fond of the Harry Potter world. He'd rather be a kick-butt ninja, thank you very much. Not a wizard who rarely got to sucker punch anyone. He liked the idea of using brute force, but also of being smart and tactical, like he was the mastermind behind everything and he also went to battle. That sort of thing. Not somebody who waved around a piece of tree that could kill people in a second. It was crazy, and Max was not like Harry Potter. He'd rather be like Uchiha Sasuke, if anyone asked.

Not the whole betraying-his-village type, more of the smart-and-strong type. He liked that. And maybe that's was why he was so quick to accept Jace into the family. It wasn't like he had been forced on them, and it wasn't like their mother gave him no choice but to like their new adopted brother – or else.

Jace seemed like the action hero kind of guy. Of course, Max loved Alec. But there was just something in Jace that wasn't in Alec. It could be that Jace wasn't afraid to beat him around – playfully – and spend a lot of time with him. Jace spent more time with him than his actual blood-siblings. But it was okay; he still loved Isabelle and Alec no less. But he did admire Jace even more.

"Max! What did I say about strangers?" Isabelle demanded, grabbing his wrist. She was suddenly behind him, glaring up at the tall man who stood in front of him, one hand reached out as though to take his hand and offer him candy.

Max wasn't even sure he remembered candy. He remembered the comic book store. He remembered Jace telling him to wait in the parking lot – of the BIG SCHOOL – while he met up with somebody. He promised it would only take a few minutes. But then Max had gotten bored and decided to jump out of the car and look around the High School.

And here he was, in an empty hallway. Well, he wasn't lost. He was looking for Izzy. Silly, if you were looking for somebody it meant _you_ weren't lost. It meant _they_ were lost.

"It's okay, Isabelle. I'm no stranger to the family," the man said and Max looked up. He saw light hair and a bright smile and Isabelle's hold around his wrist tightened. He squirmed in her grasp, but the older Lightwood seemed to not want to let him go, for fear that the stranger would steal him or something of that sort. Huh. His sister apparently did not realize he was an Uchiha Sasuke in the making.

"Izzy, you're hurting me," Max said as he tried to tug his hand free. Isabelle relented, but only by a fraction. She eased up her hold on him, but then almost dug her fingers into his shoulders as the man – another student? – took a step closer towards them.

"Get away, Morgenstern." Isabelle's voice was low, and Max remembered the times she would use this voice. Whenever Jace really angered her, or whenever she wanted to punch someone but was trying very hard to hold back. Max was suddenly afraid and concerned for his sister. Nothing ever got to her, really. She just brushed it off. Isabelle who had so many adoring fanboys.

"Easy there, _Izzy_, baby. You're gonna hurt Baby Lightwood." There was something strange to his tone, and maybe it was only Max and his imagination, but there was a sort of mockery in the way this Morgenstern guy spoke.

"I don't know what you're playing at, but you are not touching Max," Isabelle said as she took a step back, her hands flat on Max's shoulders, pulling him along with her. But the moment she backed up, the Morgenstern person followed, an easy smile on his face. And Max would never say it out loud until they got home, but he was getting scared.

"Are you actually a bigger idiot than you look?" his sister gave a nervous laugh. Her fingers were cold. "Because I don't think you understood what I said. Get away from us, Morgenstern."

Max stole another glance and paused. The Morgenstern guy was so close, the hand that was reaching for him earlier now clenched to his side. He had a very unsteady smile on his face, as though confused about who to grab first – Izzy or Max.

"I was only trying to help out the lost kid," he said, waving a hand in the air and looking down at Max. Although his smile was nicer, it was still cold – not really reaching his eyes.

"_No_. If you take one step closer, I will scream." Isabelle's voice shook, and Max had no doubt that she would indeed scream. But then, since when did Isabelle scream? Out of rage, sure. But out of fear? Maybe that one time when Jace surprised her and she ended up punching the wrong guy – Alec – into the wall where their brother ended up with a bruised lip and sore cheek. And Isabelle's 'Get Well Soon' food. Ugh.

"Come on, Isabelle. I'm trying to be a better person here. I know we've had our… misunderstandings. But I'm sure if you see how well I'm willing to treat your little baby, we could try to fix things."

From his words alone Max could pick up that he was an ex-boyfriend. Or at least someone who had deluded himself into thinking he'd been in a relationship with Isabelle before. He had no idea anymore. And he really, really should've just stayed in the car and waited for Jace even if it took the Golden Boy more than five minutes. It was better than having his sister scared and ready to drag him by his hair if he didn't follow within the next snap.

"No chance in hell, asshole."

"Language, Beauty Queen. There is a minor here," He glanced down at Max, at Isabelle's hold on her brother's shoulders, and frowned.

"We're leaving. Max." But the guy didn't take a step closer and Isabelle didn't scream. She steered him back – in the direction he had come from, towards the car park – and he reached for her hand as they rounded a corner.

She gripped his smaller hand in hers and finally breathed in a sigh of relief.

"Max, you should have stayed in the car. There are… big kids here," Isabelle told him, trying to hide the panic and relief flooding through her words. She collected her bearings, fixed her expression and pushed her hair back. He could have been fooled if he hadn't heard how her voice broke, hadn't seen her scared to death not three minutes ago. He would have believed the smile she flashed as Alec walked down the hall, his blue eyes large and confused as he spotted them.

"What are you – are you two okay?" Alec immediately switched questions, shifting the heavy load of books in his arms. He looked at them and Max looked at his shoes.

"Great. Max got lost for a little while." There was a steadiness in her voice and her smile was its usual – only Max really could see past that. Maybe he would always get to see past his sister's fake wall of calm now. He'd seen her at her worst. Well, it probably wasn't her worst, but it counted for something. And it was a terrible feeling for him – it chilled him to the bone. So much for being like Uchiha Sasuke or any other cool ninja character. Or like Harry Potter, for that matter.

He shivered.

"Max?" Alec asked, taking a step forward, but Max just brought his coat closer and shook his head, glasses almost falling over.

"I want to go home… a bit hungry," he murmured while Alec shifted his gaze back to Isabelle, who shrugged and placed a reassuring hand on his arm, as if to say that there was nothing to worry about and that it was really just the cold.

"Okay, fine. Jace is gone, though," Alec said after they'd walked back to the parking lot. Isabelle wasn't as composed as she wanted them to think. She glanced over her shoulder half the time and almost punched Alec – hard – when he tried to reach for her.

"Sorry. It's the cold. Making me jumpy." Alec raised an eyebrow – Isabelle loved the cold. Gave her another reason to shop until everybody else died. "Wait, did you say –?"

"The car's not there." Alec was frowning, staring at the almost-empty parking lot.

"He told me to wait inside," Max admitted, rubbing his small hands together.

"He must have forgotten," Isabelle scoffed, as if that was the only explanation. "God, if we freeze and die in this school then just oh my God."

"Isabelle, calm down. We can walk back home."

The younger two Lightwoods fixed him with stares that were so alike it made Alec grin a bit.

"Orrr… We can catch a ride," Isabelle pointed to the parking lot and Alec again raised an eyebrow at her, not really getting what she was trying to say.

"Jace left." He repeated, like that was really the only thing she misunderstood. Isabelle shook her head and looked exasperated. Ah, there we go. The Izzy Max saw most of the time.

"I _meant_, you have somebody who has a car and who is all too willing to drive us home rather than have us freeze to death in school. Don't even mention walking home or that's what _you'll_ be doing. I'll have nothing to do with it when you freeze."

"I didn't bring a car to school today."

Max shifted around. He found it very uncomfortable how he was standing right between his siblings and how these two would probably lash out within the next second.

"Magnus Bane has a car!" Isabelle finally stated, her voice rising and Alec blushed, almost losing his hold on the books. One fell and Max picked it up from the floor.

"He's busy," Alec said automatically.

"He always has time for you, _Blue Eyes._"

"Izzy –"

"Come on, Alec. I am not waiting here for Jace. He can fall into a ditch for all I care."

"Mag — Mister Bane is —"

"Oh, I remember him!" Max interrupted, breaking off what would have been another round from his siblings. When their eyes fell on him he gave them a shrug.

"He was all glittery… And he visited us at home that one time. He's funny… weird. But funny ha-ha, too."

Isabelle smirked at Alec and Alec looked like he wanted to run into a wall.

"Is he gonna give us a ride home?" Max inquired, directing his question at Isabelle, who was grinning at Alec in triumph.

"He will if Alec calls him."

"Alec, I'm cold. And hungry."

"Wait –"

"Alec, please. Our baby brother is going to freeze here. Just make the call."

"I am, can you hang on for –"

"I'm cold."

"Alec –"

"Hello? Yeah… I'm… aware that it's cold. And no, I didn't bring a car. Wait! Magnus, wait. Izzy and Max are – Magnus? Magnus!"

Alec didn't look as flushed as he did earlier, but he pocketed his phone with a shaky hand.

"I'm cold," Max repeated.

"And hungry," Isabelle added, fingers tugging at Max's hair.

"He's coming, okay?" Alec promptly turned away from them as Magnus Bane came sauntering down the hall, smiling a little bit too bright given the freezing conditions.

But it helped the cold, Alec had to admit. It melted his insides just seeing that smile. So yeah, maybe calling up Magnus Bane for a ride wasn't that much of a bad idea.

It was a brilliant idea.

* * *

I know. I suck. I gave all my love to The Alphabet and left ACLTCL behind. I hope you have it in your hearts (readers? Are you people still there? Yes? No?) to forgive me. :( Have a cookie.


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